Noah's Ark: when God called the animals
by ConstellationsVP
Summary: This story will follow a group of animals from the their calling by God to go to Noah so that they can board with him, his family and other animals onto the Ark to escape the impending Global Flood, to the time when the animals and Noah come off the Ark after the Flood. Story is based on Genesis 6:1-9:17
1. Chapter 1

**Noah's Ark: when God called the animals**

**Chapter 1**

**Note: this story is told from the animals' perspective, so the characters in this story are animals**

**Prologue**

Hi, my name is Edward, I am an elephant. I was one of those animals on board a huge boat with one and only other elephant, Emily, a female of my kind. I have seen everything... from the time the boat was built and we went onto it, to when we all came off it. Above all, I have seen the wickedness of man alongside all the other animals that were on that boat. I have to say that it was the saddest sight we have ever witnessed, but the one who was really grieved most of all by the wickedness of man was the Creator of the earth: God. When He looked down on His image bearers hoping that there was at least a few of them who had thoughts of Him and would turn from their wicked ways to serve Him, much to His grief and broken heartedness, there was none. Every human being was seemingly focussed on pleasing himself and ONLY that, with most of them indulging in every kind of evil imaginable; love for money, slander, sexual immorality, you name it, and seemingly not one of them had the slightest thought for God whatsoever, even if some showed generosity towards other human beings and followed and kept laws (though made by man only). You can't imagine how much that made the Creator of them, us animals and the earth and stars felt left out and angry, so He made a decision that would change the face of the earth forever: He would judge all those evil people by washing them away along with every air breathing land animal with a flood but this would be no ordinary flood. It was a flood that was to cover the entire earth, turning it into a water world with no land anywhere in sight. But before you even think that that was to happen to every single person, there was in fact one person who had favour and walked in fellowship with God: Noah. He was the only man in the whole world in which God found favour, and He wanted to save him from being washed away by His judgement of the earth with water. To do this, God commanded Noah to build this huge boat, called the Ark, so that he, his wife and their three sons Shem, Ham and Japheth and their wives could escape the impending flood. God commanded Noah to take a pair of each kind of air breathing animal (land mammals, birds, insects, dinosaurs, etc.), male and female, as well so that they can reproduce and repopulate the earth after the flood. Besides taking two of every animal, God also commanded Noah to take seven pairs of certain animal kinds on board for sacrifice purposes, as well as enough food for his family and the animals. While he was building the boat with his family, Noah went out to preach to the other people as well as send messages to those that lived far away from him that God was going to send a global flood and they will die in it if they don't repent in the hopes that they would turn from their wicked ways back to God but all he got was mockery, scoffing and noses turned up in distain. This continued on and on right up to the time God told Noah to board the Ark with his family and the animals, just when the torrential rains that were to flood the whole earth was starting. I hate to imagine that some people had begun to realise that Noah was right all along when it began to rain heavily... too late. God had already shut the door of the Ark as soon as Noah and his family boarded it. It continued to rain nonstop for forty days and nights. As the waters continued to rise in depth from the earth, we felt the boat move as it was lifted off the ground. We were on the boat for almost a year until finally, the time came for us to leave the Ark and refill the earth...

**A world full of wickedness**

One day, several years before the Great Global Flood, a family of elephants was living in a countryside eating some fruit and leaves. Among this herd of elephants was a young bull named Edward and he lived with his friend, a cow (female elephant) named Emily who was just his age. Emily was an orphaned young elephant and had lost her own herd to wicked humans and has been adopted by the matriarch into this herd. Edward and his family and friends were living a difficult life in the countryside as they were often harassed by visiting humans, who mostly for the fun of it threw stones and rocks at the animals to see how they would react. Whenever an elephant was hit by a rock and wounded, these people would laugh and throw more rocks at the herd. The frightened elephants would back away and huddle together with the older ones protecting their offspring in the middle from the marauding humans. During one such assault, Edward looked out with frightened eyes through his elders' legs at the cruel people who were continuously tossing rocks at his herd.

"This is me," said Edward in narration. "This is me and my family and friends being abused by some of the cruel humans who took pleasure in torturing us and injuring us."

The sadistic humans continued throwing rocks at the elephant heard, one of which hit the matriarch on the forehead. The matriarch trumpeted in pain and fell down on her tummy, wounded while the other elephants grouped closer together to protect their young ones from the flying rocks thrown by the humans. Edward and his siblings and friends huddled ever closer to each other under the safety of their mothers' body bulks.

"In fact," continued Edward in narration, "not one of those humans around where we lived showed us any kindness or care. They were just awful, evil, cruel and wicked."

Suddenly one of the rocks flew into the area of the herd where Edward and his friends and siblings were standing and smashed onto the floor, nearly hitting Emily on the rump and injuring her. At this, Emily forcefully squeezed herself through her adoptive mother's hind legs and under her body, frightened. Edward watched her do this with sorrowful eyes.

"Is there any human being who would show us any care?" he asked his older brother.

"I don't know, Ed," replied his brother with fear, "But I doubt that there is any human who would show us any care anyway. Since we were born, every single human being has been cruel to us as we grew up."

Edward only sighed with sorrowful eyes and continued to cower in his mother's hind legs with his younger siblings while the elder elephants continued to endure more abuse from the evil humans. After about an hour of this, the crowd finally grew tired of abusing the elephant herd and dispersed to do something else. When the surviving elephants saw them leave, they broke the wall they had formed around their calves and younger relatives. However, some of the elephants that were hit by the rocks thrown by the abusers were not so fortunate and some died of their injuries. The matriarch was one of them. As she lay dead in the clearing, her elder daughters and their offspring grieved over her death. Edward was especially saddened to see the matriarch's dead body. Tears filled his eyes and ran down his cheeks when he looked at her body. Then Emily came up to him to comfort him.

"What's wrong with this world?" sobbed Edward as Emily nuzzled against his side.

"I don't know, Ed," replied Emily equally sorrowful, "But for some reason it has turned into an evil and nightmarish place to live in with not a single caring and sympathetic human around at all, as far as we know."

The two elephants continued to sob as they watched their friends and their mothers grieving over the matriarch's body.

"There was not a single human around us who showed us any sympathy as I said before," narrated Edward sorrowfully. "Even if some did seem to show us or any other animal sympathy, such people would show their true colours by having them overwork to death."

"And that's not all," continued Edward in narration. "Every human being was extremely selfish and considered himself more important than anyone else. When Emily, my brother and I observed a human's place they called towns and villages, we saw most of them assaulting each other, mugging each other and getting into all kinds of fights. However, some formed friend groups, but they loved to pick on the weak and helpless by ganging on them and assaulting them. It was a sad sight to see."

A few hours later as it was evening, Edward was going for a stroll through a small thicket to get away from the stresses of the herd's difficulties. He was still grieving over the loss of his herd's matriarch and was in tears. He was also wondering if there were any caring humans in the world. As he was walking through the thicket, a rustling sound as some leaves moved on a nearby tree jumped him. Edward began to look around, afraid. Suddenly a female voice called his name, startling him severely. It was only Emily, his friend.

"Oh, boy," gasped Edward with relief. "You've scared me, Emily."

"I was wondering where you've gone," said Emily rather worried. "So I followed you into this thicket to check on you."

"How is the rest of our herd?" asked Edward. Emily sighed with sorrow.

"Still distraught over the death of our matriarch leader," she replied. "My adoptive mother is especially upset."

"I can see that," replied Edward sympathetically. "So is my own mother. It was like our matriarch was a motherly elephant to the rest of us."

"She was," replied Emily. "She was the leader and also the brains of our herd as well as our guide to areas in the countryside rich in food. But now that she's gone, the herd's in dire straits."

"She was also the one to have you adopted into my herd when you were a very young calf, right?" asked Edward. Emily sighed again.

"When I was only a few months old, my own herd was destroyed by humans. For what reason, I don't know," she said. "But I was the only one who survived and had to fend for myself."

"But thank our matriarch that she found you and saved you from death," said Edward. Emily smiled back at him and nodded in agreement. Suddenly some leaves in a tree rustled again, alerting the two elephants. Edward and Emily began to look around in fear in case they may be humans hunting them. They could see nothing in the clearing. Then the leaves rustled again. This time, Edward turned to the direction in which the rustling sound was coming from and faced the tree. He began to cautiously approach the tree's trunk to investigate what's causing its leaves to rustle when suddenly, a voice called out, "C'mere, lizard! You're gonna be my meal!"

"No, that's MY meal," shouted another voice.

"No it's not, it's mine! I spotted it first," the first voice shouted back. Then the sounds of a struggle began to ring out of the tree. Edward, at this, stopped and looked up. Emily came up to him and did the same. Then suddenly a lizard dropped out of the tree and onto the floor in front of the two elephants, much to their shock. The lizard shook itself to recover and fled into a nearby bush.

"Now look what you've done, Oddball!" shouted the second voice.

"Hey, YOU made me drop it, Quadwing!" shouted the first voice and then the sounds of a brief fight were heard. Edward recognised that the first voice was one of his friends Oddball. He went up to the tree trunk and tapped his trunk on the bark to get her attention. A second after he did that, a couple of bizarre dinosaur-like birds with feathered legs and prehensile tails jumped out of the leaves and perched onto a lower branch within the elephants' visibility.

"Boy, we thought you two were humans on the hunt to begin with," Emily sighed with relief when she saw them.

"Are you two still quarrelling over your meals as usual?" asked Edward sternly. Then the female four winged bird, whose name was Oddball, spoke up.

"Well, I usually am the first one to spot a meal and grab it but Quadwing here keeps trying to snatch it off me," Oddball replied angrily pointing to the male four winged bird beside her.

"Hey, I'm desperate for a meal like you, Oddball," Quadwing retorted.

"Well YOU keep attempting to snatch it off me when I've caught it first, bro!" snapped Oddball. "And besides, you have to learn how to hunt for your own meals!"

Then the two four winged birds began to argue back and forth in front of the elephants.

"STOP THIS ARGUING THIS MINUTE!" shouted Edward angrily. The two four winged birds did so and looked at Edward.

"Arguing isn't going to resolve anything," continued Edward more calmly. "You two have just got to learn how to share more and quarrel less."

"We try to do so," replied Oddball, "But we can't help it."

"By the way, you should have seen the scandalous interactions most of those humans keep having with each other in a nearby human area," Quadwing said.

"Yes," put in Oddball frustratingly, "They are always beating each other up, lusting after one another, treating each other like dirt... ooh, it's just too indescribable to put in a single word!"

"Not to mention their treatment of us animals," said Quadwing. "All we seem to receive is abuse, torture and cruel treatment."

"And we lost our family because of them!" put in Oddball again. Then Emily came up.

"So have I," she said sadly. "I've lost the rest of my herd and was alone until Edward's matriarch found me and adopted me into her herd."

"But she's sadly dead now," said Edward beginning to cry. "She was hit on the head with a rock thrown by some abusing humans and she died from her injuries."

"Alongside some of the other elders of the herd," put in Emily. This made Oddball even angrier.

"You know," she said to the two elephants, "I wonder why there's not one sympathetic human being around to show any care for us animals in this area."

"None of us know why, Oddball," replied Edward. "We just have to live in this and keep our distance from them. Our matriarch had told her surviving elder daughters that before she died."

"Then that is good advice," said Oddball. "I doubt any of us would survive if we ever went near any of those wicked humans."

Quadwing nodded in agreement. Then Oddball began to return to her hunt for food.

"Now where did that lizard go?" she asked.

"Well you were the one who dropped it, sis!" snapped Quadwing. Then the two four winged birds jumped off the branch and glided through the thicket, arguing. The two elephants watched them leave.

"Don't those two birds ever stop arguing?" asked Emily.

"I don't know," replied Edward, "But I've learnt that arguing and quarrelling over food or water doesn't achieve anything. Anyway, let's get back to the herd."

Then the two elephants turned round to head back to where their herd was.

Hundreds of miles from Edward's homeland, a young cat was chasing down a deer to eat. However, he was facing competition with another cat his age who kept trying to get in his way to bring down the prey first.

"Just leave this to me and find your own prey, Clawson!" said the competing cat as he swerved sharply after the deer. "You just don't know WHEN to stop, don't you!?"

"What are you talking about, Dash, that's MY prey!" retorted Clawson as he followed. "I was stalking it first but you jumped in and startled it into running!"

"Well, YOU keep getting in my way and hindering my progress," snapped Dash angrily as he tried to approach the deer's side to jump and grab its neck to bring it down. Clawson only sighed angrily but before Dash could get his teeth into the deer's neck, a pack of theropods suddenly appeared and jumped onto the prey they were chasing.

"What the-!?" cried Clawson in shock. Dash also looked on in confusion. Then some theropods began to chase the two cats away from the deer.

"Get outa here, kitties!" sneered one of the fleet footed dinosaurs, "This is our prey now!"

The others laughed in agreement. Dash and Clawson turned tail and ran away from the deer, leaving the theropods to bring the prey down. When they were at a distance from the prey, the two cats watched the little dinosaurs topple the deer over and kill it, much to their frustration.

"Well, that's another meal catching attempt interrupted," muttered Dash. "That pack of hooked claw freaks always seems to take us by surprise every time we try to catch prey to eat."

"Tell me about it," agreed Clawson, "Normally, it is us cats that do the stalking but those theropods sure seem to get in the way to steal the opportunity from us."

The two cats then began to make their way back to their own home. As they were leaving, one of the theropods came running up to them. Clawson turned round and looked at it.

"What do you want, you sickle-clawed pest?" he shouted at him angrily.

"Hey, my name IS Sickle-Claw, kitty cat," the theropod cheekily replied. "And I am not a pest."

Dash came forward and threatened Sickle-Claw by bearing his teeth.

"Don't make me chase you away viciously, reptile," he said through his teeth. Sickle-Claw just snickered.

"Cats, honestly," he said mockingly. "They sure are dumb."

Then Dash raised his paw to swipe Sickle-Claw across the face when one of the other theropods called the latter to come back to the pack.

"Sickle-Claw, come on," it said. "You're missing your dinner!"

Sickle-Claw looked at it and then back at the two cats with a smile of mockery. "Gotta go and eat your meal, kitties," he said and hurried off to join his pack.

"That Sickle-Claw sure is a trouble maker, isn't he?" Dash told Clawson.

"Well, him and his pack are just more trouble than they're worth," replied Clawson. "Anyway, let's leave them and find another deer to chase down for ourselves. Hopefully those pesky reptiles will not interfere with our attempt again."

The two cats then walked away to hunt for another meal.

"And I sure hope you don't interfere with my attempt to bring down the prey this time as well," Dash told Clawson. Clawson only sighed with annoyance at this, however. Close by where Clawson and his cat pack lived, a young sauropod was observing some people in a nearby village and their behaviour from under a very large tree on a small hill. It saw what looked like statues set up in a temple-like building just on the periphery of the village and was curious as to how these were made. While it was looking at the statues in the village's entrance, another sauropod came up to it.

"What are you doing, Ida?" asked the second sauropod.

"I'm staring at the thingamajigs in that what's it building outside that human's place, Stomp," replied Ida, the first sauropod. "And I wonder how those humans have the ability to make such amazing objects."

Stomp looked hard at the statues in wonder also.

"I don't know, Ida," he replied equally fascinated, "But I'm sure those humans have invented some sort of objects to make them somehow."

As they were talking, they saw some mice came running towards them from the village with some food. Ida and Stomp were wondering what all the rush was about. As the mouse pack was running closer to them, Stomp began to ask them.

"What's going on?" he asked the pack. None of the mice answered him however, as they were too busy with their hoard of food.

"I think they're too busy," replied Ida. "They've collected an awful lot of food from that human's place."

Then one of the mice finally spoke up. "We've stolen it from that village actually," it said.

"Village?" asked Ida confused, "What's a village?"

Then the mouse sighed and handed a piece of fruit it was carrying to one of its packmates and climbed up the tree trunk to the level of Ida and Stomp while the rest of the pack entered the tree trunk.

"A village is a human's place made up of a few buildings called houses," said the mouse. Ida smiled with fascination.

"How do humans make and build them?" she asked.

"They use things called tools and bricks to build the..." began the mouse when suddenly it and the two sauropods heard some shouts. They turned and saw a group of five men come in their direction, so they immediately retreated for fear that they may be hunters out searching for animals. Ida, Stomp and the mouse went round to the other side of the tree's trunk and hid as the men walked past where they stood. Ida saw some sticks ending in wedges.

"What are those things?" she asked the mouse.

"Those," replied the mouse, "are spades. Humans use those to scoop up dirt to either make holes or to collect dirt to make bricks, the building blocks for houses."

"Cool!" cried Ida in fascination. Then Stomp asked him a question.

"What about those thingamajigs?" he said. The mouse was perplexed.

"What thingamajigs?" he asked. Then Ida described their shape to it.

"They looked like humans in shape," she replied. The mouse then knew what she was referring to.

"Oh," it replied. "They're called statues. They are made by humans too."

"They must use the same things to make them as they do houses," said Stomp.

"Yes, but those things called tools," said the mouse, "are shaped differently to suit that purpose."

"Humans sure are creative creatures then," said Ida in fascination. Then Stomp and Ida returned to the same spot where they stood before they fled from the approaching humans. When they returned to that spot they saw some humans bowing down and prostrating themselves before the statues.

"What are they doing that for?" asked Ida. The mouse was perplexed.

"I don't know," it replied. "But that sort of behaviour is very frequent in that village. Also there were some people attacking others."

"So they are wicked creatures, too?" asked Ida. The mouse nodded. Then a young giraffe appeared, startling them.

"You'd better keep your noses out of their business," it said bossily. "What some of them are up to with each other is just too shocking to describe."

"Tell me about it," said the mouse. Then Stomp looked at him.

"I'm Stomp," he said, "And this is Ida."

"I'm Nelson," replied the mouse. The giraffe smiled.

"I'm Camelopardalis," said the giraffe, "But most of my non-giraffe friends find that name hard to pronounce so you can call me Cammie for short."

"Hi," replied Stomp, Ida and Nelson together.

"Camel-whatsit-thingie-dummie," said Ida, "You're not kidding."

Cammie smiled in amusement.

"What are those humans doing bowing facedown to those statue things anyway?" asked Stomp.

"It's an act of respect and worship," replied Cammie. "I've seen it time and time again every time I pass that village and other towns and villages with my herd and they seem to do it either in front of those statue things or to another person."

Stomp and Ida's eyes widened with surprise.

"Worship," gasped Ida, "of a thing that they've made?"

"I don't understand it," said Stomp.

"Me neither," said Cammie. Nelson sighed.

"Well, I'd better be with my pack anyway to eat some of our loot," he said. "They're waiting for me. I'll see you later."

With that he left and entered the hole to his pack's burrow.

"And speaking of shocking behaviour of humans," said Ida, "What do you mean by that?"

"You don't want to know," replied Cammie, "But what some of them were doing to some of the other persons is damaging the latter. It's too disgusting to describe."

"Were there some good humans?" asked Stomp.

"Apparently so," said Cammie. "Some of those people were like helping their neighbours and looking out for them, and some of them had law systems, sort of like a list of do's and don'ts. I don't know exactly what they listed what things were right and what things were wrong but that's all I know."

"So there are some kind and caring humans, aren't they?" asked Ida.

"Yes," said Cammie, "Some are very generous and giving and helpers of the poor and some even helped catch the badly behaved humans like thieves to bring to justice to be punished."

"So they are quite a structured society?" asked Stomp. Cammie nodded. Just then Cammie's mother called her daughter's name.

"Cammie," she called, "It's time for tea."

"Oh, aye," said Cammie. "I'd better go. See ya, you two."

"We'd better be off as well," said Stomp. "Our own herd will be waiting for us for our tea as well."

"Nice talking to you, Cammie," said Ida and with that the two sauropods left for their herd while Cammie returned to her mother to go back to her giraffe herd.

In a large town many miles from where Cammie, Ida, Stomp and Nelson lived, a small herd of up to five horses were living in an enclosure that contained a fenced space, called a paddock, for them to run around in. They were living a life of luxury and they enjoyed being pampered, fed, brushed, groomed and rode upon by their owners who cared for them a great deal. Their barn, paddock and stable were an expensive building and construction for their owners were very wealthy. Though they loved to share four of their horses with other people, especially children, one of the owners favoured the fifth horse above the rest and would not share it with anyone else except to show it to passers-by. This horse, which was a stallion or male and the youngest of the five horses, was the most pampered of the five in the stable and was also the most magnificent and majestic in appearance and was very proud of it. He was also the strongest and fastest runner of the five horses and was not bothered about not being shared by his owner with anyone else or used for horse riding activities like the other four, and he enjoyed the spoils of his owner's expensive treats, which the owner would often give to him and to him alone. He also enjoyed being awed at by passers-by for his appearance and magnificence and enjoyed being the centre of attention. The other four horses, however, were jealous of him and didn't like him at all, often treating him as a show off and calling him a spoilt snob. They would often keep their distance from him and insult him whenever he said how beautiful he was. One day one of the owners was preparing to feed the five horses with horse feed and open the doors to their stable to allow them to run around in the open space in the paddock for some exercise. As he was pouring horse feed into their troughs, he came to his favourite horse of the five and greeted him kindly.

"Good morning, Henry," he said happily and stroked his snout. "Here's your breakfast and here's your morning treat."

He poured horse feed into Henry's trough and then gave him a piece of expensive fruit which Henry gladly accepted. Then the owner left. Henry began to eat his breakfast.

"Ah," he sighed delightfully, "This is the life. I just love waking up to the morning sun and twittering birds and running around in the paddock with the wind in my beautiful mane..."

"Yeah right, snob boy," retorted one of the other four horses who heard him say this.

"You sure like to puff yourself up a lot, don't you?" said one of the mares. Henry just proudly smiled and looked at the other four horses who were looking back at him with indignant and jealous eyes.

"Folks," he said boastfully, "You know I am the most favoured above you four, and I sure you can appreciate that."

"Yeah, we appreciate your treatment by that human alright," said the other mare sarcastically.

"You always get all the expensive treats," put in the fourth horse who was also a stallion. "All we get is horse feed, cheap fruit and dry so-called treats."

Henry just smiled at this. "Well that's just too bad, you four," he said proudly. "But all in all you just don't realise how good that human and his servants have been good to us. They sure are caring and kind and generous..."

"Maybe so," said the first horse. "But you're spoilt. Don't you realise that?"

Henry just smiled again and went back to eating his breakfast. The other four horses, which were two more stallions and two mares, began talking among themselves about him, saying how much of a snob Henry was and how much they would like to have him out of the stable. Luckily Henry didn't hear for he was too busy eating his breakfast. Later the five horses were led out of the stable by their owners and into the paddock for their daily morning running around. Four of the horses were glad to be set free into the running space for some exercise, but Henry was looking forward to showing off his magnificent mane as he galloped around. As soon as the horses were let loose of the reins by their keepers, they neighed with delight and began to trot around the paddock in the sunshine and breeze. But a few minutes into this run around, the four horses' delight was spoilt when Henry dashed past them from behind to the front. He showed off his mane waving in the wind as he galloped.

"Look at my beautiful mane and tail, my admirers," he neighed proudly. "I'm like a water wave blowing in the breeze..."

The other four horses angrily stopped and looked at him angrily.

"You also like to get on our nerves during our running around exercises, don't you, puffy pest," said one of the male horses angrily.

"You do this every time we're allowed to run around in this paddock, magnifier moron," said one of the mares.

"Belittling brat!" shouted the other stallion.

"Showy-off freak!" added the other mare. Henry, however, was too proud to even stop and turn around ashamed of his boasting, so he just carried on galloping around showing off his appearance. The other four horses looked on with jealous eyes.

"He's as bad as our leading owner," said one of the mares.

"Tell us about it," said one of the stallions.

"I hope something happens to him anytime soon," said the other mare.

"Yeah," said the other stallion. "Maybe someone can come in and steal him or something."

The other three horses nodded in agreement as they watched Henry continue to gallop around the Paddock's perimeter close to the fence. As he galloped past the fence between the paddock and a public path, some people stopped to look at him in wonder. They awed at his magnificence and wavy mane and tail. Henry smiled with his teeth showing in immense pride as if to say 'look at my beautiful mane and tail'. Henry's leading owner looked at him and smiled, then went back to work. While Henry was galloping around his paddock, in the next door field was a sheep farm and there lived a flock of sheep. Their shepherd had just let them out of their pen so that they could graze on the fresh green grass. As they were grazing away, one of the ewes looked up and saw Henry running around in the next door paddock in a showy-off manner. At this, she called a nearby ram.

"Hey, Milo, come and have a look at this," she said. The ram stopped grazing and went up to her.

"Do you think that horse is up to his showing off antics again?" she said. "It seems to me that it must be his morning routine or something."

The ram frowned as he looked at Henry gallop around the paddock. "I think he is, my dear," he said to the ewe. "I'm going to see what he's up to now."

With that he began to walk up to the fence separating the sheep farm and Henry's paddock. As Milo closed in on the paddock, he watched Henry run past him. The wind generated by Henry's galloping blew in his face, followed by some grass cuttings.

"Whoa, splutter!" he spluttered as he got grass up his nose, "that horse and his galloping, honestly!"

Then the next time Henry came galloping around, he saw Milo looking at him with a frown on his face. At this, he stopped and walked over to him.

"Morning, my ram friend of the neighbour's sheep pen," he said in a proud and cocky voice.

"Morning yourself," snapped an irritated Milo. "You just kicked up grass cuttings that went flying into my face!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, Milo," said Henry cheekily. "Did I blow wind in your face?"

"You know you're making your stablemates feel like they're lowly and unimportant," said Milo trying to rebuke Henry.

"Oh, I was only going around for my daily morning run," said Henry trying to make excuses. "It's just part of our routine..."

"My ewes can tell that you're showing off," said Milo not fooled. "In fact, they can read your galloping behaviour like a human's writing since you seem to do that every morning."

Henry just smiled back at the frowning ram. "I'm not really bothered what you sheep or my four stablemates think," he said proudly. "After all, I am under the care of one of the best humans in the world. In fact, I think humans are the most kind and caring creatures on this planet."

Milo frowned all the more. "You think that's true?" he said annoyingly. "Well I don't agree with you and neither would my ewes."

Henry stopped smiling and looked at him with a long face.

"What makes you not agree with me?" he inquired.

"Your owner may be kind and caring to you and your stablemates," said Milo sternly, "But don't think that all humans are like him because some are not so kind at all."

"Why's that?" asked Henry curiously.

"My flock here has a history of thefts and killings of sheep caused sometimes by humans usually during the night," said Milo seriously. "On one occasion, a group of human thieves sneaked into our farm and stole several of our ewes and lambs. You should have seen the face of my shepherd; honestly, when he found out that his farm had been intruded."

Henry looked back at him agape. "Are you serious?" he asked somewhat shocked. Milo nodded seriously.

"So that goes to show that not every human is kind and caring of their animals or to each other as you think they may be," he said. "And believe me, Henry; these thefts happen anywhere in this town. If our pen and farm have been targeted by robbers, your stable could also be targeted too."

Henry just scoffed at this and shrugged it off. "My owners are always careful and thorough in checking our entrances and exits for any intruders to come in and steal us," he said with a smile of mockery. "And besides, we're always in our secure barn and stable safe and sound from any thief's hands. We've never been intruded for as long as I can remember."

Just then his owner called him to come over to him for some brushing. Henry looked back at him and then to Milo.

"Anyway, I'd better be off. My owner wants to brush me," he said cheekily. Then he turned round and galloped away.

"'Bye, Milo," he said cockily as he left. Milo sighed with annoyance and returned to his flock.

This chapter is only a prologue and an introduction of some of the animal characters. The remaining characters will be introduced in chapter 2


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

A few hundred miles from the town in which Henry and Milo lived was a shoreline meeting an ocean (I am assuming that the land was one big landmass like Pangaea). Nearby the shoreline was another town full of people up to usual activities. Just close to the border of the town was a rocky shore and beach. On this rocky beach a group of penguins were jumping out of the water like salmon and onto the rocks. They had just returned from a fishing trip and were on their way back to another group of penguins to give the fish they have caught to their mates and chicks. As the penguins were walking back after jumping onto the rocks to the group, they came within sight of some of the chicks that had been waiting for them and their meals. When the chicks saw their fathers walking back to the group, they chirped excitedly and were about to run to their fathers to receive their meal of fish. However, they were kept back by their mothers who were alert of any predators around that could snatch them if they wandered out of the safety of the group. While the other chicks were waiting with their mothers for the fathers to return to them, one such young penguin was sat on a rock looking into a town, curious about human behaviour. It was observing some sort of activity in the house nearest to the entrance to the rocky beach. It involved a woman dressed smartly in what looked like a dress entering the house followed by some younger people. As it observed the woman and those following her enter the house, it became more curious. Suddenly its mother came up to it and scolded it.

"Torpedo!" she said angrily. "Come and join the group please. It's not safe here."

"But Mama," said Torpedo in protest. "I want to see what's going on in that house. Why is that human woman dressed so beautifully?"

"It's not safe here, son," said his mother sternly. "This is a human's place and if any of those humans find us here they could kill us. Now come and join us right now!"

Torpedo looked back at her with a sorrowful face and did as he was told. As they rejoined the group, Torpedo began to ask his mother some questions.

"What is that human woman up to anyway?" he asked. "Why is she dressed in fine and colourful cover-up things?"

"I don't know, dear," replied his mother. "Anyway, it's time of tea. Your father's waiting with it in his stomach."

So Torpedo went to his dad and received a mouthful of pre-digested fish. After he swallowed the fish, Torpedo began to ask him the same question.

"Dada," he said. "What do you think those humans are up to in that stony thing?"

His dad laughed. "I don't know, son," he said with a titter, "I wasn't there when you observed what was going on. I was too busy out in the open ocean with my flockmates finding food for you and your mommy."

"I saw a woman enter the house dressed in those colourful cover-up things with some other younger humans behind her," said Torpedo. "Do you know what sort of behaviour that is?"

His father only looked back at him with an 'I don't know' facial expression.

"Well, whatever it is," said Torpedo's mother, "it's not our business. We're to leave those humans alone. They are extremely dangerous."

Torpedo sighed in disappointment and received another mouthful of pre-digested fish from his dad. Later, as the sun was setting, the penguins were frolicking around on the rocky beach and playing in the little showers caused by the splashing of water against the rocks. Torpedo was not in the mood for playing with the other chicks as he was too curious about the woman he had seen enter the house a few hours ago. He was back on the rock looking at the same house he had been observing. What he heard this time was music and dancing as though a celebration was going on.

"I wonder what's going on now," he said to himself. Just then another chick came up to him.

"Torpedo," said the chick, "your mother said you shouldn't be standing here."

Torpedo just raised his flippers. "I was only curious as to what's going on in that house, Pippa," he said. Pippa was about to say something when suddenly a young lizard with a sail on its back appeared from the bushes, startling the two penguins chicks.

"Oh," it said, "Don't make me sink my teeth into your flesh. I know you two are away from the flock of penguins and your parents, so you have no chance of escape."

Torpedo and Pippa shook with fear. Then Torpedo spoke.

"I-I-I-I was only observing what was going on in that stony place," he said pointing to the house from which the music was ringing out. The sail-backed lizard looked in that direction and then back to Torpedo and Pippa.

"Ah," he said with an oily smile. "It's what humans call a wedding ceremony. It's when a man and a woman come together to spend the rest of their lives with."

Torpedo raised his eyes in fascination. Pippa, however, remained alert.

"But we animals shouldn't be larking around in this place, anyway," said the sail backed lizard. "You know what humans are often like with us these days? They see us and then they kill us for food and for our hide for moneee..."

Suddenly the voices of Torpedo and Pippa's mothers and fathers were heard calling for the two chicks. The sail-backed lizard saw this and realised that it was in trouble.

"Me name's Marvin, you two," said the lizard as it was about to bolt. "Nice to meet ya but the next time we meet, you're gonna be my next meal, both of ya."

Just when it had finished this sentence Torpedo's mother jumped onto the rock and tackled the reptile in the side.

"Get outa here ya filthy lizard!" she shouted as the lizard scrabbled off the rock. "And leave our chicks alone!"

"Cop this!" said Pippa's father and bit the lizard's tail. The lizard yelped and scrabbled even faster on the rock and dashed off into the bushes. Torpedo and Pippa came up to their parents after this. When they were beside them, Torpedo's mother gave her son a fierce look. Pippa's father did the same to his daughter. At this, the two penguins sensed that they were in trouble. Then Torpedo's mother angrily told her son to return to the penguin flock, telling him that he's grounded for a month. Torpedo saddened and did as he was told. The lizard meanwhile was on its way back to its habitat, an opening through the thicket near where the penguin's lived. It settled there and slept.

The next morning the sail backed lizard that had threatened Torpedo and Pippa last night was waking up to the morning sun. It stretched out its legs and shook itself awake.

"Unnngh," it said, "Time for another day and another hunt. I don't think I'm gonna go back after those penguins again after that attack from the adults."

The lizard got up and went out to hunt for food. As it was walking across the clearing, it saw a bird-like creature with bat like wings descend from the sky and land just a few meters away from it. The sail backed lizard greeted it.

"Hya, Storm," it said with a smile on its face, "Beautiful morning, isn't it?"

The bat-like 'bird' which had a large crest on its head and wings of skin, was gasping rather frantically.

"It may be a sunny morning, Marvin," said the 'bird' whose name was Storm (who was a pterosaur, a flying reptile that strongly resembled a bird in shape but had wings of skin and a featherless body). "But it certainly wasn't sunny in some of the humans' places."

"What is it now?" asked Marvin, "Humans up to no good again?"

"You don't wanna know, Marvin," Storm replied rather disgusted, "But the behaviours of some of those humans to each other are just foul."

Marvin just smiled proudly.

"I'm sure there are good humans in this world, my friend," he said trying to perk things up. "After all, not all of them are that bad towards each other."

"There may be some caring humans around here, Marvin," said Storm, "But others are just rotten in their behaviour towards each other."

Just then a giant millipede appeared out of the thicket nearby. It came out into the clearing and reared up the front part of its body.

"Tell us about it," said the millipede in agreement. "There are some humans around us that just don't seem to care about each other at all."

"But they do have a regulatory system, don't they?" asked Marvin. "Surely they must have some sort of list to follow; you know like a list of what to do and what not to do."

"They may have some sort of regulation lists to follow, Marvin," said Storm, "But there are some humans that don't want to be told what to do and disobey them."

"Like stealing when they're not supposed to," said the giant millipede whose name was Jaws. "Yeah, I've heard of behaviours like that."

Marvin the sail backed lizard then smiled. "Well, Storm; Jaws," he said happily, "I'd better get on with my hunt. I'm starving and I can't wait to get my teeth into some meat."

"Well, we'll leave you to it, Marvin," said Storm as she turned round and prepared to take off. "I have some prey to catch myself."

Jaws then prepared to return to the thicket.

"And I have a nest to build to attract a female to mate with," he said and with that, he got back down on all his legs and returned to the thicket. Marvin and Storm then parted ways with each other.

**A strange man is seen acting oddly**

"A few months has passed since our herd matriarch had died from the assault of that mob of humans throwing rocks at us, alongside some other unfortunate elephants," said Edward the elephant in narration, "and since then we have missed them dearly. However, we have stuck to her advice in staying clear from the troublemaking humans and their places and have not been involved with any more assaults from them ever since. Our matriarch's eldest daughter has taken over as leader of the herd for she was the next experienced elephant in our group. Now that her mother has gone, she was adapting to the new role of leadership, but things were beginning to look up. Our herd was pretty much recovering. We were flourishing happily once again and enjoying the food that grew in our area. However, while we were grazing and our elder relatives were bringing up our younger siblings and cousins, some of us noticed a man behaving rather strangely..."

Back in the open grasslands where Edward's herd lived, the members of the herd were having a great time. They were grazing, spraying water on themselves and bathing, having pretty much forgotten about the tragedy they had those few months ago since their matriarch and some other elephants were killed in the assault by the marauding mob of humans. Edward and Emily were among them, enjoying their playtime in the water hole with the other young elephants. While the youngest members were playing about, however, some of the elder elephants, including the new leader, the matriarch's eldest daughter, were still on the lookout for any groups of humans that may come up and assault them again. The playful calves were also wary of their surroundings and of any warning that their elder relatives and mothers may sound if they do see any approaching humans. Nonetheless, the herd was enjoying itself. A few hours later, Edward was playfully chasing some of the birds from the bushes and some of the critters on the ground.

"I wonder if my friend Oddball would like to have a game like this," he said happily. Emily then came ambling up beside him, also playfully chasing the birds and critters.

"I don't think so, Edward," she said. "She's got enough on her wing claws as it is with her brother Quadwing and their fights over food."

Edward sighed. "Tell us about it," he said rather annoyingly. The two elephants continued chasing the birds and critters. Birds flew up from the bushes as they were startled by Edward's trunk striking them while the critters were scattering to avoid the elephants' feet. Edward laughed as he pursued the startled birds into the air. Then suddenly, he stopped dead and looked on with an alert expression. Emily then came running in laughing as she chased the startled critters into scattering in all directions on the ground.

"Isn't this fun, Edward?" she laughed, but she turned serious when she saw Edward looking at something in shock.

"Ed?" said Emily in worry and then she saw what Edward was staring at. What they saw was a man drawing something in the sand with a stick. With him were three other men and four women who seemed to be observing, or more like watching, what he was drawing in the sand. The man also appeared to be talking to the other seven people about it. Edward became curious and began to approach the eight humans but Emily, alert at how they might react if they saw him and her, stopped him by pulling him back by the ear with her trunk.

"What do you think you're doing?" she said angrily to him. "Our matriarch told us to stay well clear of any humans, whether they seem harmless or not."

"But Emily," said Edward, "I want to know what that man is up to."

Emily became cross. "Look," she said sternly. "Those eight persons could be dangerous like almost every other human that our herd has encountered. If they see us, they could kill us. Now let's get back to the herd."

Edward hesitated, but went along at Emily's insistence. However, he was curious about the strange behaviour of the man with the stick drawing something in the sand and talking. Close by, Oddball the four-winged dinosaur like bird had also seen the bizarre behaviour of the same man with her bother Quadwing. They were sat on a rock watching the man and the other seven with him.

"Sister, this sure is strange," Quadwing said to Oddball. "But don't you think we should keep our distance in case they could be dangerous?"

"I'm curious as to what that human is drawing in the earth, bro," replied Oddball. She then tried to look harder at the diagram drawn by the man in the sand.

"It looks like a... house or... city wall... or something shaped like either one..." she said struggling to make out what the man had drawn in the sand. Quadwing looked at the drawing also.

"I think they're just planning on building something," he said. "Nothing unusual I don't think. Anyway, let's get back to the forest."

Oddball reluctantly agreed and the two birds left for their habitat.

"You know, if Edward saw that and was perplexed, I wouldn't be surprised," said Oddball. "I don't think he'd understand what the behaviour of those eight people is all about anyway."

Quadwing only looked at her with a frown as the two birds went back to the forest. Back at the herd of the elephants, Edward's mother was frantically looking around for her son.

"Edward?" she called fearfully and worryingly, "Edward!"

Just then Edward and Emily came walking back to the herd. Edward's mother was relieved when she saw her son and Emily. She ran to him and hugged him with her trunk.

"Oh, Ed I thought you were caught by those evil humans at first," she said with relief. Then Edward's aunt came up to Edward and Emily with a frown on her face.

"You must NOT wander away from our herd, you two," she scolded them. "You could've been caught by those humans!"

Edward and his mother broke their embrace and began to explain what he and Emily saw.

"We saw eight humans acting rather unusually over there," he said and pointed his trunk in that direction where he saw the eight humans. "One of them had a stick in his hand and was drawing something in the sand..."

"...and these seven other persons were like observing him and listening to what he was saying," said Emily. Edward's mother and aunt only frowned in disbelief.

"Well, whatever those humans you saw were up to," said Edward's mother, "I think they could be planning to do something dangerous, perhaps to us elephants. I think we must keep together and walk away from any human we see."

"But for a month, Edward," said Edward's aunt sternly, "You're going to stay by your mother's side. The same goes for you, Emily."

Edward sighed at this penalty and returned to the herd after his mother and aunt. Emily was annoyed.

"Now look what you've put us through, Ed," she moaned exasperated. Edward looked back at her with a shameful face. Then the four elephants went back to the herd.

"But from what Emily and I saw from that man's behaviour with those three other men and four women, I remained perplexed," said Edward in narration. "And what puzzled me even more was that picture that the man was drawing in the sand with that stick. Was it a building of some sort? Well, whatever it was, it wasn't a thing to worry about then. We just simply continued following the advice our matriarch gave us before she died of staying away from those evil humans, no matter how harmless or sympathetic they looked or behaved..."

The elephants continued to stay clear of any humans they saw. Whenever they saw a group of humans going about their business, the herd moved elsewhere.

**Oddball loses her brother**

Meanwhile, back in the forest where Oddball and Quadwing lived, the two four-winged birds were chasing after another lizard. They were quarrelling over the chase as usual, and were bickering like chicks fighting over a meal.

"That's MY meal, Quadwing!" shouted Oddball angrily as she glided through the air.

"No, that's MY meal," snapped Quadwing back at his sister as he jumped from branch to branch. The lizard was running like the clappers trying to escape the two four-winged birds. It jumped over logs, rocks, piles of stones and puddles as it ran. Then Oddball landed onto a branch and then dived down at the lizard with all four of her wings spread out and her hind claws outstretched for the kill. Quadwing attempted to do the same attack and leapt from another branch. The lizard, seeing Oddball flying towards it with her claws reaching out, panicked, jumped onto a rock face and began to scrabble up it to get away. However, Oddball was already close enough to it to make the kill. She rammed her claws into the reptile, killing it instantly. But before she could celebrate her catch, Quadwing collided into her, sending both himself and his sister flying into a bush. At this, Oddball was enraged.

"That would've made me lose my catch you clumsy clown!" she shouted at Quadwing. Quadwing angrily got back onto his feet.

"If you hadn't have got in my way we wouldn't have had this collision," he retorted. Then Oddball, instead of snapping back at her brother, smiled.

"But at least we didn't lose our prey this time, and here's why," she said and held up the dead lizard in her claws.

"And at least you've picked the right moment to strike," said Quadwing angrily. Then he and Oddball began to find a quiet spot to eat their catch. They climbed up a tree and sat on a branch and began to feast on their prey.

"You know," said Oddball with a mouthful of meat, "I think we should think about doing more teamwork and less quarrelling."

"I guess so," said Quadwing as he bit another piece of meat from the lizard. "Mind you, your elephant friend did say that quarrelling is not gonna solve anything. At least you've managed to kill this prey."

Oddball nodded and the two four-winged birds continued eating their prey. However, they were in for an attack. As they were eating, some humans were hunting in the thicket, hoping to catch some animal to sell for a high price and had seen the two four-winged birds in the tree. Seeing that they would make them a great bounty, the hunters tiptoed quietly towards the tree, being careful not to step on any twig or into a puddle that would make a sound and startle the four-winged birds into fleeing from them. The two four-winged birds were still eating their lizard meal when Quadwing suddenly popped to attention. Sensing something not right about the surroundings, he stopped eating and began to investigate. Oddball, who was still stuffing her face on the lizard meal, saw him creep vigilantly towards the edge of a branch. At this, she stopped eating and went up to him.

"What is it, Quadwing?" she asked. Quadwing raised a wing hand to tell her to be quiet. Oddball, at this, began to wonder what he was staring at, so she looked into the same direction he was looking in. What the birds saw were a group of humans tiptoeing towards the tree in which they were in. They were armed with sharp points that appear to be spears, as well as a bag of something strapped to their belts. Quadwing began to feel a sense of fear and an urge to flee when he saw what they had.

"Oddball," he said timidly, "Quick! Let's get outa here!"

With that the two four-winged birds dashed through the tree and began to fly from branch to branch. A few seconds later, a stone flew at the two of them but missed and hit a tree trunk. When Oddball saw the stone nearly hit her and Quadwing, she realised what the humans were doing.

"They're hunting us!" she cried to Quadwing.

"That's exactly what they're doing!" retorted Quadwing. "Now shut your beak and wing it!"

Oddball did so and continued to jump quickly between branches and tree trunks. Another stone flew from the hunters at the two four-winged birds, but it also missed and hit a branch.

"Faster, Oddball!" cried Quadwing, "Come on! Pump it!"

Oddball tried to speed up her jumping between branches. A third stone flew and nearly hit the two birds as they passed through a gap between two trees.

"I think Edward's herd faced this sort of assault before!" cried Oddball. Quadwing didn't answer and continued jumping between branches as another stone flew at the two birds. It nearly hit Oddball as she leapt from a branch.

"Yikes!" she cried in shock. "Have we escaped those hunters yet!?"

"Just shut your beak and continue jumping!" retorted Quadwing. Oddball did so and the two birds continued jumping between trees. Then as Oddball was starting to get a lead, Quadwing began to lag behind. He puffed and panted as he continued jumping between trees and gliding. Suddenly, another stone flew and this time, it struck its intended target. Quadwing was hit on the back by it in midair. The force of the impact was so powerful that it knocked him out of the air. Oddball, however, was too busy concentrating on fleeing from the hunters to notice Quadwing had been shot. By the time she had managed to get to the other side of the forest and out into the open space where Edward and his herd lived, she landed onto a rock, turned round and looked back in the hopes that Quadwing will make it out with her as well. She was puffing and panting as she waited for him.

"Quadwing!" she said as she was out of breath, "Quadwing, I think we've escaped the hunters now."

But there was no answer. Oddball began to become worried.

"Quadwing?" she called. But there was still no answer. Then Oddball had a horrible thought. She flew immediately back the way she came into the forest and through it, calling for her brother.

"Quadwing!" she cried, "Quadwing!"

She frantically tried searching for her brother as she flew back the way she came through the forest, calling her brother's name over and over again. But still there was no answer. Oddball began to panic and cry, fearing that he might have been caught by the hunters. As she continued jumping between branches and tree trunks in her frantic search for her brother, she was immediately stopped by a pterosaur with a long bony tail and a giant dragonfly.

"Don't go in that direction," said the pterosaur. "There are hunters about."

"Yes," said the giant dragonfly. "They're out on their hunting spree again. If they see you, they will kill you."

"But have you seen another four-winged bird that looks like me but is a male?" asked Oddball frantically.

"We saw two four winged birds like yourself escaping with us as we were ourselves escaping those flying stones," said the pterosaur. "But one of them was struck by one and taken down instantly."

At this, Oddball was extremely shocked. Then she burst into tears and left. The pterosaur and the dragonfly looked at each other puzzled. About an hour later, Oddball was sitting on a rock back out in the open away from the forest, crying her heart out. As she was sobbing with tears flying everywhere, she was noticed by one of the elephants from Edward's herd. It was Edward's elder sister. She was wondering what the four-winged bird was doing on the rock crying.

"Why is that bird crying its eyes out on that rock?" she asked another elephant near her. The other elephant looked at the bird.

"I think that's Edward's friend Oddball," she replied. "I'll go and get Edward."

So she left to fetch Edward who was in the herd. A while later, the other elephant returned with Edward after receiving his mother's permission that he can leave her side but only for a few moments. When he came to his sister, Edward asked her a question.

"What is it, sis?" he asked. "You know I'm grounded for a month for going near those eight humans."

"You bird friend is upset," said his sister pointing her trunk to Oddball. At this, Edward looked and saw Oddball crying on the rock.

"I'll see to this," he said and he went over to her. His sister and the other elephant only looked at each other with perplexed eyes. As he approached Oddball, Edward began to ask her.

"What is it, Oddball?" he asked sympathetically. "What's happened?"

Oddball was too upset to speak properly.

"My... (boo-hoo) brother's... been caught... by those... BOO-HOO-HOO!" she sobbed and entered another uncontrollable sobbing episode. At this, Edward put his trunk around her to comfort her. However, he couldn't understand what she was trying to say, so he tried a different tactic.

"I don't have very long because I'm grounded and have to stay by my mother's side," he said lightly but firmly. "But I'd like you to stop crying and tell me what happened, but just be quick."

Oddball tried to stop crying and momentarily gained control of her sobbing.

"My brother's been killed by some hunters," she finally said through her tears. When Edward heard this, he was horrified. Then his sister and her friend came up to him.

"It's time you returned to your mother, Ed," said Edward's sister.

"Just one minute," said Edward. Then he turned back to Oddball, who has managed to stop crying but still had tears in her eyes.

"Looks like you've been a victim of those evil humans as well," he said sympathetically. "But unfortunately, your brother became the one to meet a sad end at the hands of them."

Oddball looked back at him with sorrowful eyes.

"And now I am all alone," she said. "Though we quarrelled a lot, Quadwing was most often my company. Now I've lost that company altogether."

Then she wept and sniffled. Edward brought her into a hug with his trunk.

"I can understand that," he said. "There are a lot of humans around us that are very uncaring and greedy. I've faced that with my herd in the past. That's why our matriarch has died."

Oddball looked up at him.

"Now what am I gonna do?" she asked sadly. "I don't wanna live alone. I hate being alone."

Then Edward made a very strange suggestion.

"You can live with my herd," he said. At this, Oddball was surprised.

"B-but I'm a meat eating bird," she replied. "I eat small lizards and smaller birds, while you elephants are mainly plant eating animals."

"There are plenty of critters around our area, many of which are birds and lizards," said Edward, "and there is also a large tree in which you can reside in."

Just then Edward's sister came up and tapped his shoulder with her trunk.

"It's time you were back with your mother," she said firmly. "You don't want to be under her bad trunk again."

Edward looked at her and then back to Oddball.

"I have to return to my mother," he said. "I've been grounded for a month."

"What for?" asked Oddball. Edward just told her to jump onto his back, which she did by climbing his trunk and then up onto his back.

"I'll tell you when we get back to my herd and put you into that big tree," he said and he and his sister and her friend began to walk back to the herd.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**What's that strange thing those eight people are building?**

"Several months have passed since Emily and I have seen this man with the stick behaving rather strangely with those three other men and four women watching him," said Edward in narration. "And apparently, Oddball has seen them as well. However, we just shrugged it off as just regular planning behaviour and assumed that they may be planning on building a town or city. We did so for those several months, but when that time period had passed, we found that what those eight humans were planning to build was no city or town, it was something much, much more bizarre..."

Several months has passed since Edward, Emily and Oddball and her brother Quadwing had seen the octet of people led by the man with the stick and their discussion plans to build an unknown building. Oddball has overcome her loss of her brother and has remained near the elephant herd to avoid being hunted by greedy humans. Edward was also now free of his mother's penalty to stay by her side as punishment for risking himself with the eight humans he saw with Emily, and was now back doing his usual wander around. This time, however, he made sure that he stayed within range of the herd and was more careful when humans were around within sight of the elephants. He was taking a walk with Oddball and chatting with her.

"You know, I wonder if there are other birds like myself," said Oddball. "As far as I know, there have only been me, Quadwing and our family. But since all my family including my brother is gone thanks to those wicked humans, I think I may be the last of my kind."

"To be honest with you, Oddball, I don't know," replied Edward. "But mind you there are very few people around us that seem to be sympathetic towards us elephants or other animals. All the rest that we have encountered are just abusive and selfish and cruel."

"You remember when I met you in that forest those months ago when Quadwing and I were fighting over that lizard?" said Oddball, "We were describing what behaviour some of those humans had toward each other in that nearby human's place that we saw the other month."

"Oh yeah, that was just after my herd's matriarch died along with some other elephants after a serious assault from a group of humans," said Edward. "I remember that."

"Well, you wouldn't believe what Quadwing and I saw what those humans were doing to each other in that small human's place anyway," said Oddball. "They were..."

"Oddball, please!" interrupted Edward with disgust. "I don't want to know the sickening details, okay? Plus it's not the sort of thing you should be saying with young calves around."

Oddball looked back at Edward apologetically. Then she moved onto something else.

"Anyway, have you ever wondered what that man was planning to build lately?" Oddball asked. "Even after these past few months, I still have no idea."

"Neither do I," said Edward. "That question about the man and that stick has been on my mind since Emily and I first saw him and those seven other people."

"I think I'd like to check on them again to see what building they are constructing," said Oddball. "I bet it's some sort of city wall or something."

"I don't want to risk getting into trouble with my mother and aunt again for approaching those humans," said Edward rather hesitant, "So I'm going to keep my distance just to be safe, and I'd suggest you'd do the same because if you've lost your brother to humans..."

"I am aware of the risk, Edward," replied Oddball. Then she and Edward began to walk to the spot where Edward and Emily were when they first saw the man with the stick. By the time they got there, they saw something very strange.

"Wow," said Edward in serious shock. "That guy has been busy."

Oddball also saw the thing agape with astonishment. What the four-winged bird and elephant saw was a framework of wooden beams mounted on top of a flat sheet of wood forming a base. Above this base was another layer of wood supported by beams of wooden props. Men were working away chopping more wood and climbing up this framework to put these planks down onto this layer. Edward and Oddball then turned and saw a pile of trees being chopped up and its branches removed to be chopped up further and reshaped into planks or bars for the structure. Oddball recognised the type of tree being used as building material for the mystery framework.

"I know what those trees are," she said to Edward. "They're cypress trees. I've been told about those trees by one of the domestic animals that live in that human's place. They grow in swampy areas such as the one on the other side of the human's place and they're used by humans to make boats and wooden buildings. They must be using those same trees to construct that framework."

Edward was intrigued. "I wonder if it's an enormous new wooden house or something," he said. "Or perhaps a city wall..."

"City walls are made out of stone," said Oddball. "In fact, I thought that man with the stick was planning on building a city wall, but now I've ruled it out because of the material being used."

Then she decided to take a closer look at the building.

"I'm going to see what's really going on," she said and ran off towards the building.

"Well, be careful," said Edward wary of her safety. "Those humans might not be safe."

"Whatever that framework made out of cypress wood was going to be, I had absolutely no idea," said Edward in narration. "But I had a feeling that the framework had some connection with the behaviour of that man with the stick Emily and I saw those several months ago. It certainly wasn't a city wall as Oddball previously thought since they were made out of stone or something similar. It was something else, but what...?"

Many minutes later, Oddball was very close to the cypress wood framework. She jumped behind a rock when a human looked into her direction to prevent him from spotting her. Then she looked out. What she saw amazed her. There were men chopping up wood with sharp tools (axes), carrying chunks of more wood with container-like things pulled by beasts such as oxen (trailers or perhaps chariots) and cutting up trees with serrated cutting tools (saws and the like). Other men were on ladders erected against the framework hammering and lifting pieces of wood up and down in very large baskets and other containers. Oddball was intrigued and was eager to find out more. She then dashed from the rock to the pile of trees being used; making sure that none of the men at work saw her. Once she was behind the pile of trees, Oddball examined them up close.

"Yup, these are cypress trees alright," she said to herself. Suddenly she saw three humans come up to the pile. She ducked and hid behind the pile of tree trunks as the men grasped another tree and lifted it up. Then they walked away with it. Oddball looked out as they turned their backs to where she was, unaware of her presence. As they moved out of the way, Oddball saw a familiar face. He was writing something on a wooden table.

"Isn't that the same man Quadwing and I saw with that stick?" Oddball asked herself. She then observed the familiar man stop writing, pick up the sheet of paper and hand it to another man wearing some sort of pouch. The pouch wearer took the paper and read it, sniggering at it as he did so. He then walked away and packed the paper into his pouch, leaving the man to rub his face as if tired and then enter a prayer position. Then Oddball looked at the framework and decided to approach that. She hid behind the pile of trees, dashed out back toward the rock and hid there again. Then she looked out at the wooden framework. It was a huge construction, the biggest thing that Oddball has ever seen in her life.

"Edward and his entire herd would fit into that easily," she said to herself. Then she left her hiding place behind the rock and began to walk towards it. However, it was a careless move. As she was walking towards it, too mesmerised by its size to even notice the workmen going back and forth carrying chunks of wood, a voice of one of the men snapped her out of her trance. At this, Oddball looked and saw one of the workmen come after her with an axe. At this, she screeched and ran like the clappers away from him as the man shouted at her and told her to get out of here. He stopped chasing the four-winged bird as soon as he had driven her away. Oddball ran and ran until she saw Edward in the distance. She accelerated towards him and didn't stop until she was back with him. By the time she had arrived back she was gasping for breath.

"Well, saw... what was... going on..." puffed Oddball, "And..."

Edward, however, was cross.

"What were you doing near those humans!?" he shouted at her. "You could have been killed!"

Oddball continued gasping and began to feel ashamed. Then Edward pulled her into an embrace with his trunk.

"Oh, Oddball, don't you ever do that again," he said relieved. "I thought you were caught or even killed."

As he hugged her with his trunk, Oddball began to explain to him after catching her breath.

"You are not going to believe this," she said, "But I saw that same man I and Quadwing also saw who was drawing something in the sand with the stick and talking with those other seven people. He definitely has something to do with that construction over there."

Edward broke the embrace with Oddball and looked at her in disbelief.

"You're joking," he said shocked.

"It's true," said Oddball. Edward began to change his attitude.

"Well at least you've found some of the answers you wanted and that you've come back safely, that's the thing," he said. "But I think it's time we went back to my herd. My mother, aunt and Emily will be wondering where I am, so let's go."

Then Oddball climbed onto his back and Edward began to walk back to the herd.

"There's something else I should tell you about that man," said Oddball as Edward carried her back to the herd.

"Oh, and what's that?" inquired Edward.

"That man was writing something and when he gave it to another person, the person sniggered at it. Then the man put his hands together, bowed his head and shut his eyes," explained Oddball. "Now I don't know what that's supposed to mean."

"Look, Oddball," said Edward. "Let's not worry about that man and let's stay focussed on keeping ourselves safe from any marauding humans, okay?"

Oddball nodded her head with a sigh. Then the pair continued their walk back to the herd.

(The man that Oddball observed was praying to God).

**The man's messages and calls to repent and turn to God are mocked and scoffed at**

"Many more days passed and though Oddball has found answers to some of our questions by looking at the cypress wood framework up close and partly what that man was up to (risking her life and nearly getting killed in the process), we still had no idea what that project was really about," narrated Edward. "Furthermore, Oddball's up close investigation of the building site has created another, even deeper question about the man when she described to me that he was writing something and had his hands together and eyes shut after that. Whatever that meant, I don't know..."

Many days after Oddball's close up investigation of the building site and the man, the sheet of paper that Oddball saw (which was a message written by the man calling for other men to repent of their evil ways and turn back to God or they will be washed away in His judgement), alongside other sheets of paper containing messages written by the same man, went out from the building site to other areas of the world, where they were delivered to the people living in towns and cities far away from the building site. However, when they had arrived in the towns and cities and were read by the receivers, the messages were scoffed at and dismissed as nonsense. In one area where Ida, Stomp, Cammie and Nelson lived, Stomp was busily grazing away on some fruit growing from some trees and filling his mouth on large amounts of it. Nearby him, Cammie was feeding on some leaves of another kind of tree; Nelson and his mouse pack were busy with hoarding fruit and nuts into their burrow under another tree. While they were doing this, Ida was watching and observing the humans living in the nearby town. Their sound had caught her attention and now she was curious about what they were now up to. As she was watching and listening at the humans, Cammie came up to her.

"What are you doing staring at those humans over there, Ida?" she asked rather worried. "You're supposed to be grazing and feeding yourself."

"Those humans are behaving rather oddly over there, Cammie," replied Ida. "What are they doing?"

Cammie looked at the humans closely. They were throwing their heads back and guffawing loudly at something.

"That's called laughing," explained Cammie. "Humans do that when they find something funny like a joke."

"Then what sort of thing are they laughing at?" asked Ida.

"I don't know," replied Cammie, "But I daren't go anywhere near them because they're dangerous."

Ida, at this, decided to go and investigate herself. "Then I will go and see what they're laughing at," she said. Cammie, however, was aware of her safety.

"I wouldn't get too close to them if I were you," she said cautioning her. "And besides, your mother would be mad if she catches you near those dangerous people..."

Ida nodded her head aware of the risk and began to carefully approach the group of people. She took one step at a time towards the group, making sure that they didn't notice her. As she got closer, she tried to listen at the sounds of the people as she heard them talking. Suddenly, "I wouldn't get any closer to them if I were you, long neck and tailed pea-brain."

At this, Ida stopped and turned her long neck in response to this and saw a cat come walking towards her with a serious expression on its face.

"Do yourself a favour will you, turn round and go back the way you came," said the cat. Ida was taken aback at the cat's attitude.

"I was only..." she began tried to explain.

"What?" asked the cat mockingly, "get yourself killed? I've seen other animals that have been killed when their curiosity about those immoral humans overtook them. And you know who their killers are; the latter."

Ida felt a bit troubled and began to turn round. The cat smiled as she did so. "That's right, long neck and tailed pea-brain. Turn round and walk away from them. The last thing you want is those human predators seeing you and killing you to use your meat to sell at a high price," it said.

Ida felt insulted. "I am not a pea-brain, you bully," she retorted offended. "I'm a sauropod and my name is Ida."

"Well, my name is Clawson," replied the cat in an obnoxious attitude. "I'm a cat and I know what most of those humans are like."

Ida looked back at him surprised. "Do you?" she asked.

"Yes," replied Clawson. "Many are thieves and steal from each other, murderers who kill each other, sexual perverts..."

Ida closed her eyes tightly in a disgusted response to this.

"I know that!" she snapped. "I know many are disgusting in their behaviour to each other, okay? I don't want to know the full list."

Clawson just laughed in response to this reaction. "Well, if you know what most humans are like, why were you approaching that group over there?"

"They were laughing at something," replied Ida. "I don't know what..."

"Oh, humans laugh at a lot of things," replied Clawson. "They always do when they find something funny, even if another human is injured at their hands in some cases."

They arrived back near the sauropod herd when Cammie saw them. At this, she was relieved.

"Oh, thank goodness that you've come away unscathed from those dangerous humans over there," she said. "I was becoming more and more worried the closer you got to them. Did you see anything?"

"Not at all," said Ida angrily, "because of this pesky interruptive hairy beast."

Clawson frowned at this remark.

"I thought the word 'beast' meant an animal larger than I am," he said. "Like bears, oxen, giant scaly animals like you..."

"I'm not that big yet," said Ida. "I'm still too young. Believe me, cat, by the time I reach full size, you'd be surprised at how big my kind gets."

"I've seen colossal creatures like you before," said Clawson. Then Cammie came up to Clawson.

"By the way," she said. "Do you know why those humans are laughing over there?"

"It's a human thing, long neck," replied Clawson. "Every time they find something funny, they laugh."

Cammie was shocked at Clawson's impolite behaviour and what he called her.

"What did you call me!?" she snapped offended. "My name is Camelopardalis; Cammie for short! Now would you please apologise!"

Clawson only smiled and said nothing. Ida was angry.

"Look, if you're going to keep on insulting me and my friends," said the sauropod angrily, "You might as well leave."

"Well, I have nothing to do, long neck and tailed pea-brain, I mean, Ida," replied Clawson cheekily. "I'm not ready for my next hunt yet because I am not hungry at the moment. I might as well have a chat with you and your folk is that okay?"

"If you will stop being so rude to us," said Cammie sternly just as Stomp, the other sauropod came walking up next to her, curious about who his friend Ida and Cammie were talking to.

"What is that foul furry monster doing here?" Stomp angrily asked Cammie and Ida.

"This is Clawson," replied Ida. "He's just stopped me from investigating those humans over there and why they're laughing."

"Huh, that cat's presence doesn't fool me one little bit," said Stomp. "All he wants to do is hunt one of us for his lunch."

Clawson frowned at stomp. "I would have done, if I were hungry," he said cheekily. "But not right now."

Stomp was about to confront the cat when Nelson suddenly turned up, gasping. Ida frowned at him.

"Where have you been?" she said anxiously to the mouse. "Don't tell me you've been stealing food from that human's place over there, haven't you?"

"They call it a town or village, Ida," interrupted Clawson.

"Whatever," replied Ida and then she turned her attention back to Nelson. After Nelson eventually caught his breath, he finally spoke.

"If you've been wondering if I and my pack have been invading that village over there, you're incorrect," said the mouse. "I and some of my packmates were busily picking some ripened fruit from the trees just outside their village's periphery while you were walking back the way you came, Ida, when I heard something rather peculiar from those humans."

Ida's eyes widened with surprise. "What did you hear?" she inquired.

"They were laughing at something and when I turned my ears at what they were saying," said Nelson, "I became worried when I heard it."

"What was it that made you worried?" asked Cammie.

"I never heard them fully say this but they said something like 'an impending flood that will wash us away? What nonsense!' while they were laughing away," said Nelson.

At this, Cammie, Stomp and Ida were even more surprised.

"A flood?" said Cammie in shock.

"So that's why they were laughing out loud," said Ida.

"What sort of a flood?" asked Stomp. Nelson shook his head.

"I don't know," he replied. "But why those humans were laughing at some sort of flood warning I'll never know but that's all I've heard."

Clawson then interrupted the conversation with a casual remark.

"Well, I don't think there's anything to worry about," he said. "If it's something insignificant, then it's not worth the concern. Anyway, I'm off back to my den with my pack and I'll see you soon."

Then he turned to Ida and said "And as for you, you ought to stay well away from those humans because as I've said before, they will kill you for your meat."

Ida only sighed at this remark. Then Clawson turned round and left for his home. Nelson saw him leave with disgust.

"Cats, honestly," he said indignantly. "They're nothing but pests and monsters."

"Tell us about it," said Stomp in agreement. "I hope he doesn't pick any of us to be his next meal the next time he goes out to hunt."

"I'll say," said Ida. Then the two sauropods, Cammie and Nelson returned to their daily activities.

In the village where Henry the horse and Milo the ram lived, Henry was enjoying being cared for and pampered as usual. He was undergoing a brushing session by his owner who carefully brushed his fur, mane and tail. He was enjoying this session and was looking forward to galloping around the paddock to show off his beautifully brushed mane and tail again. While he was being brushed, the other four horses, as usual, looked at him with intense jealousy as they passed by him with the owner's servants on their backs. Through the fence bordering Henry's paddock and the sheep farm next door, Milo the ram was watching Henry be brushed and pampered with an indignant face. He sighed and shook his head with annoyance when one of his ewes came up to him.

"Milo, our shepherd wants us," she said.

"Thanks, dear," replied Milo. "I'll be there in a minute."

The ewe left and returned to the flock to wait for him. Then after the leading owner had finished brushing Henry's mane and tail, Henry stood up and neighed happily. His owner then gave him another expensive treat. After this, the owner left to see to the other four horses that were being ridden by four of his servants. Henry then saw Milo looking at him through the fence with annoyed eyes, so he went over to him.

"Hi there, Milo," he said proudly. "Nice day, ain't it?"

"Yes!" replied Milo sarcastically. "And so is your spoilt and prideful attitude."

"But I'm not spoilt," replied Henry cheekily. "It's just because my owner favours me above my four stablemates and he loves me so much."

"Yeah right," replied Milo with a frown. "Well my shepherd shows no favourites when it comes to caring for me and my ewes and lambs. Every member of my flock is valued the same."

"Well I'm surprised to..." began Henry when he and Milo suddenly heard guffawing from Henry's behind. At this, the horse and the ram turned round and looked at Henry's owner and his servants laughing their heads off at something. Henry was perplexed at this, so he turned back to Milo.

"I'm going to see why my owners are laughing like that," he said to the ram and then turned round and left. Milo sighed and returned to his flock. Henry walked back to the other four horses and their owners and saw the latter collapsing in a heap on the floor; some were on their stomachs banging their fists on the ground and rolling around, some were lying on their back with their legs flailing in the air, and the servants who were mounted on Henry's stablemates' backs were laughing so hard that they nearly fell off their backs. Henry approached one of the mares.

"What's going on?" he asked, "Why are our owners cachinnating and in hysterics like this?"

The mare didn't answer, however and pretended that he wasn't there. Henry began to grow impatient.

"I said what's going on?" he asked again in a more severe tone. The mare looked at him angrily.

"We're not answering you, puffy pest," she obnoxiously retorted. Henry was shocked at this response and then decided to see for himself. He walked away from the laughing crowd and listened in as they talked through their laughing.

"Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!" chortled one of the servants, "That... man (guffaw) must be (guffaw) have been drinking!"

"Yeah," replied another. "He thinks (LOL) that a (LOL) flood is (LOL) gonna cover the (LOL) whole earth and (LOL) wash us away... ha, ha, ha, ha, ha..."

When Henry heard this, he was a bit concerned.

"A flood," he said to himself, "that's going to cover the whole earth?"

Then he decided to shrug it off. "Oh, well, it's nonsense, anyway," he said casually to himself. "I hope our owners don't laugh so much that they hurt their breathing muscles."

Then he left to have a trot around the paddock while his owner and the servants continued guffawing and cachinnating at a message they received.

On the beach where Torpedo the penguin lived, the penguins were up to their usual activities of fishing for prey, catching food for their mates and chicks and bringing it back to them, and frolicking in the showers caused by the waves hitting the rocks on the shoreline. Torpedo and his friend Pippa were among the young chicks dancing around in the showers, having learnt their lesson of not to get involved with human business. They were having a great time.

"Boy, this is fun!" shouted Torpedo with delight as he allowed water from the showers to fall onto his back. "I can't wait to take my first dive into the ocean."

"Yeah, neither can I," said Pippa. "I would love to have my first swim in the seas."

"But our parents wouldn't allow us to do that," said Torpedo with a frown and then turned to look at his father who was with the other chicks' dads, "Wouldn't you, Dada?"

Torpedo's dad smiled. "Not until you're old enough and are ready, son; you're still too young at the moment."

Torpedo just smiled and went back to playing around in the showers. However, while he and the other chicks were doing this, they were being watched by hungry eyes from above. A pterosaur was flying overhead and looking down on the frolicking chicks waiting for the right moment to swoop down and nab one from the rocks. It was Storm, one of Marvin the sail backed lizard's friends, and she was on the hunt. She glided on the winds that blew across the water's surface and waited for one of the chicks to stray too far away from the rest of the penguin flock. However, the chicks' fathers were on the alert for aerial predators. When some of the fathers saw the pterosaur in the air, they immediately started squawking for their chicks to return to them. The chicks heard their father's cries.

"It's a predator!" cried Torpedo to his friends. "Let's get back to our fathers, quick!"

With that, the chicks scrambled on the rocks for their lives and began to hurry back to their fathers' brood pouches. When she saw the chicks scrambling for the safety of their dads' protection, Storm immediately swooped down upon the flock to try and snatch one of the chicks. But the chicks ducked, making Storm miss them. Then the chicks continued scrambling back to their fathers as the pterosaur flew back up into the air for another try.

"Pippa!" cried Pippa's dad, "Pippa!"

Pippa gasped and screamed, "Daddy!" as she struggled past the other chicks.

After a frightening few seconds, Pippa and her dad finally found each other. Pippa immediately scrambled into her father's brood pouch. The other chicks were also doing the same as Storm swooped down upon the penguin flock again in an attempt to snatch one of them as they scrambled into the safety of their fathers' protection. Storm's foot claws just missed Torpedo by an inch as he screamed and ducked to avoid being grabbed and taken into the air. Suddenly his father appeared and took him into his brood pouch. Then Storm flew back into the air and tried a third attack. This time, however, she was faced with the beaks of the chicks' angry fathers who pecked at her to drive her away. The pterosaur flew back up into the air. As she did so, she saw a few chicks still scrambling to find their fathers. At this, she repositioned herself and dived at them. The chicks screamed and cried for their fathers that were yet to find them. The fathers heard their chicks' cries and tried to run to find them, without great difficulty because of the other fathers in the way. By the time they had managed to struggle past the flock, they were too late; Storm grabbed one of the chicks and flew into the air with it. The other few chicks, startled by the pterosaur's attack, scrambled all the more back to their fathers and were reunited with them. However, the father of the chick that was snatched was distraught to find his chick missing. He cried and called for it and searched for it but could not find it. Just on the periphery of the flock, Torpedo looked out from within his father's brood pouch and saw some of his friends safe and sound. He gave a sigh of relief.

"What was that, Dada?" he asked his father.

"It was one of those flying bird-like reptiles, son," replied his father. "Somehow it has decided that our chicks were the next meal."

Torpedo was saddened. "I hope it hasn't snatched away my best friend Pippa," he said, worried. His father just sighed at this with relief.

"At least you didn't get caught, son," he said. Meanwhile, through the thicket separating a clearing from the penguins' beach habitat, Storm had landed into a spot with the chick she had caught and was now eating it. She had built a nesting site in the hopes of finding a male pterosaur to breed with and have baby pterosaurs with him. At the moment, she was preparing for it. While she was eating, a giant millipede came out of the thicket to meet her. Storm noticed the millipede and hid the penguin chick meal behind her to protect it in case the millipede may decide to attempt to steal it from her.

"Hi, Jaws, how are you doing?" she asked casually. The giant millipede erected its front end.

"Fine, thank you," replied Jaws. Then he observed the nest that Storm had been building.

"I see," he said with interest. "You're seeking a mate too."

"I sure am," said Storm. "I am going to breed."

Jaws just raised his head in happiness and pride. "Well, I have just found a female millipede myself," he said happily. "But unfortunately, she's so hard to impress."

"Maybe she's not in the mood for breeding," said Storm. "She may be just hunting or something."

Jaws lowered his head and looked back at her.

"I guess so," he said rather discouraged. "You know females are sometimes hard to impress when you're a male trying to court them."

Just then Marvin the sail backed lizard came in with an apparent glum face.

"Marvin?" said Storm surprised when she and Jaws saw him walk in like that.

"What's wrong?" asked Jaws curiously. "Have you been bothered by those perverse humans again?"

"Not at all, Jaws," replied Marvin in a concerned tone of voice. "I've just come back from one of my daily hunts when I heard and saw those humans laughing uncontrollably for some reason in that human's place through that thicket."

Storm and Jaws looked at each other perplexed and then back to Marvin.

"What were they laughing uncontrollably about?" inquired Storm.

"Is it some sort of hysteria going around in that human's place or something?" asked Jaws.

"More like something about a flood," replied Marvin. "I listened to some of them talk about it while they were laughing out loud."

"A flood?" gasped Storm in shock.

"What sort of a flood?" asked Jaws again.

"I don't know, I didn't hear much of the subject," replied Marvin, "But all I know is that they're laughing about some sort of a flood."

"But if they knew that a flood was coming, they'd be ready for it wouldn't they?" said Storm.

"It's a bit unusual for them to laugh about a flood like that," said Jaws.

Marvin only sighed at this comment.

"Well, I'm going to go back to my home spot and rest," he said. "It's been a hard day."

Then he left. "And I'm going to go back and see if I can attract that female millipede," said Jaws and he left for his habitat in the thicket. After he and Marvin had gone, Storm went back to eating her penguin chick meal she had caught.

I guess you can deduce what the humans living around the animal characters are laughing about now. If you can't then read the prologue in chapter one.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Another assault from humans and the mystery building takes shape**

"A year later after Oddball's dangerously close investigation of the mystery cypress wood construction, I and my herd were still up to our normal business of grazing and searching for food under the leadership of our leader, the matriarch's eldest daughter," said Edward in narration. "Our herd has moved on from the previous area to another area where there was more food. However, we were still under constant threat of wicked humans ganging up on our herd and assaulting us, so we ensured to avoid walking to any areas that may be too close to a human's place, no matter how rich in food it may be. While we were walking around in search of new pastures, I and Oddball have still been wondering about that mysterious cypress wood framework. We now know that the man whom we first saw with a stick was somehow behind the construction, but we only have part of the puzzle. The rest was still yet to be found. What's more, when we checked back on the mysterious framework, we saw something extremely bizarre and pointless..."

After another year since Oddball and Edward's previous investigation of the cypress wood construction, the elephant herd was now in a new area, grazing and playing around as usual, as well as keeping vigil for any dangerous humans. Edward had grown into a young adult bull elephant and was not far from becoming independent of his mother. However, he ensured that he stayed close to the herd in case any humans were around. While he has been grazing away with his cohorts, many of the cow elephants, including his mother, have given birth to a brood of new calves. Edward was watching these new arrivals play around in the water and nuzzling against their mothers' bodies. While he was watching them, Emily came up to him and sighed.

"What's wrong?" asked Edward concerned.

"I wish I can have calves of my own," said Emily slightly envious. "But I'm just not old enough to have them."

"There will come a time when you are ready to have your own calves, Emily," said Edward reassuring her. "But at the moment, you're still a bit too young. You will just have to be patient."

Emily reluctantly sighed in agreement as she watched her older relatives and friends play with their new calves in the water. Then Edward became a bit worried about Oddball.

"You know something, Emily," he said, "I've been a bit concerned about Oddball lately. She's not been in a good mood at all."

"I think she's yearning for someone of her own kind, Ed," said Emily. "She has been lonely since she lost her brother to hunting humans, anyway."

"A mate perhaps?" inquired Edward.

"Maybe," said Emily. "I just don't know."

Suddenly, they heard an alarmed shout from one of the elephants. Edward and Emily immediately turned their heads to see three elephants ambling in with alarmed expressions from their bodies and faces.

"There is a small group of humans coming toward us!" shouted one of the elephants. At this, Emily was alerted.

"I'd better help my adoptive mother look for her calf before those humans get here, Ed," she shouted to him. "I suggest you do the same."

Edward was enraged as Emily ran off to look for adoptive mother.

"Not again!" he shouted. "I hope our matriarch's eldest daughter doesn't face the same demise her mother did several years ago. She's our leader and we don't want to lose her!"

With that he turned round and quickly ambled as fast as his legs would carry him toward the calves and their mothers to prepare to protect them from the incoming humans. The other elephants, including the leader the matriarch's eldest daughter, alerted also by the three elephants that spotted the incoming humans, immediately stopped grazing and playing and began to prepare to defend the youngest and recently born calves. The larger and elder elephants gathered together and formed a wall around the youngest calves and younger relatives like they did before. The small group of humans were, by now, close to them. They were armed with slingshots and stones and have come to the elephant herd in the hopes of killing some of them for their meat and body parts to sell at a high price. As they closed in on the elephant herd, Edward looked at them worried and frightened, expecting the worst. Then as soon as the group of hunters were close to the elephants, they took out their first stones from their stone pouches, put them into their slingshots and swung them around their heads. The elephants facing them looked at them intently as they did this. Edward also saw the hunters about to throw the stones at the herd when two of the new calves looked through his legs.

"You two," said Edward seriously to the calves, "Stay within the wall no matter what happens. Just stay within there until those hunters have finished doing their cruel business with us."

The two calves did so and hid under his body bulk. The hunters swung their slingshots around their heads for a few more seconds and then released their stones at the elephants. The stones flew like comets towards the wall of elephants. The elephants clumped ever closer together and shut their eyes as few of the stones bounced off their heads. They trumpeted in pain. The hunters then each took out another stone and put them into their slingshots to fire at the elephants. They discussed with each other on their method of attack as they loaded their slingshots. They spun their slingshots above their heads and threw the stones at the elephants, running towards them to give the stones extra speed. The stones flew and hit some of the elephants on their heads. The calves cowered frightened under their mothers' and relatives' legs. The hunters then threw some more stones at them again, and again, and again, pelting the elephants with a shower of fast flying stones upon each simultaneous release. Some of the stones flew over the elephant wall and landed in the centre where the new calves were, hitting some of them while others cowered and hid under their mothers' bodies between their back legs. The cries of pain of the stricken calves startled their mothers. Then another shower of fast flying stones flew over the elephant wall into the calves' area, making the calves cower all the more under their mothers' and relatives' bodies. As they continued to hurl stones at the elephants, the hunters continued to close in on them. Seeing that the wall defence method was not putting off the hunters, the matriarch's eldest daughter (the current leader of the herd) decided another tactic.

"Folks," she said to some of her sisters next to and near her, "Here's what I want you to do..."

The hunters continued throwing stones at the elephants while approaching them. Edward saw the hunters close in ever closer on the elephant herd.

"They are getting too close," he said to himself. But before the hunters can get any closer to the elephant wall, suddenly some of the elephants trumpeted fiercely and angrily charged at them from the wall. The hunters, startled by the trumpeting and incoming several tonnes of bulk, immediately stopped throwing stones, turned tail and ran. The charging elephants continued to chase them away, whacking them with their trunks and butting them with their heads. Realising that they were outmatched by the sheer size of the elephants, one of the hunters shouted to the others, "RETREAT! RETREAT!"

The other hunters did so and ran like mad to escape the charging elephants. The chase lasted a few frightening minutes but after that, the hunters were gone. The elephants that chased them away, among them the leader, trumpeted in victory. When the other elephants in the wall heard this, they broke the wall. Edward was amazed.

"That was the bravest strategy I have ever seen," he said impressed. His mother came up to him.

"Yes, and good riddance to those pesky humans," she said. "That was an excellent idea. I hope those humans learn their lesson not to mess with big animals such as us."

Edward nodded in agreement and then turned round to see how the calves were. Some of the new calves were okay but some others, however, were not so fortunate. Edward saw with distraught eyes the mothers weeping and stroking their injured calves that were struck by stones thrown from the hunters. Edward went up to his mother.

"Do you think those calves will recover from that assault, Mum?" he asked.

"I think they will," said his mother hopefully. "It's a good job none of them were hit on the heads or faces, or they wouldn't survive."

Edward sighed as his mother went to help tend to some of the injured calves. Then his sister came up to him.

"You know, Ed," she said, "One of these days you will be fighting other male elephants for the right to produce calves with the females when you become old enough to breed."

"I guess so," said Edward rather reluctantly. "But I wouldn't want to fight a bull elephant that's twice my size. He could kill me on the spot."

"Exactly," said his sister. "Size matters for you male elephants when it comes to fighting over mating rights."

Edward nodded in agreement. "And besides that," he added, "I would rather have calves in peace with no competition."

"Well, every bull has to face competition every now and then when he wants to breed with the females," said Edward's sister trying to tell him the facts. "What are you going to do when you spot a lone female and want to mate with her only to be confronted by another bull who's also heard her mating calls?"

Edward only looked at her silently. Then his sister left to also help tend to the injured calves while Edward decided to take a stroll in the countryside. He thought about what she said about the fact of male-male combat for the right to mate with the females, and then sighed and put it off his mind. A few minutes later, Edward was quite some distance from his herd but still ensured to stay within its sight. As he was strolling with disappointed eyes, Oddball suddenly came up to him, gasping for breath again. At this, Edward was surprised.

"What is it now, Oddball?" he asked curiously. Oddball didn't answer him until she got her breath back. Finally, she spoke.

"We've just been observing that same stick owning man and his cypress wood construction project," she said seriously. "But you are not going to believe what he's been building."

Edward looked back at her perplexed. "We?" he asked. "How..."

Then a second four-winged bird appeared next to Oddball, another male.

"I'm her new friend," said the bird. "She was being hunted again by greedy humans but I saved her with the help of my pterosaur friend in the forest."

"Ed, meet Archer," said Oddball with pride. "He's my new mate."

Edward was thrilled that Oddball has found another of her own kind as Archer raised his wing claws in a greeting.

"Well congratulations, Oddball," he said delightfully. "I knew you'd find another of your kind; anyway, nice to meet you, Archer."

He shook his trunk with Archer's wing claws. Then a pterosaur with a long tail appeared. Oddball introduced it to Edward.

"And this is Riley," she said. "He's Archer's friend. Riley, Edward"

Riley raised his wing in a greeting to Edward. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Edward," he said happily. Edward smiled and then turned serious.

"Anyway, what have you been observing with this stick owning man lately and his construction project?" he asked. Oddball, Archer and Riley beckoned him into following them and left. Edward walked after them. By the time they got within range of the construction site, Oddball showed Edward the construction work. When Edward looked at it, his eyes widened in shock and his jaw hit the floor.

"Good grief!" he shouted in surprise. "What is that he's been building?"

"We asked ourselves the same question," said Oddball equally shocked.

"And that question was," added Archer, "What kind of boat is THAT?"

Edward looked at the construction. What he saw was a massive boat-like thing with a roofed section on top of it. On its portside was a door and the design of the whole construction definitely resembled a boat. There were still men hammering away at it and lifting pieces of cypress wood up and down in baskets hanging from the girders built next to the giant boat. Furthermore, leading to the door was a ramp being constructed. Edward was awed at this sight.

"I have never seen a boat that size in my life," said Edward in narration. "I can never remember what size it was but it was huge..."

"Do any of you know how big that thing is?" Edward asked. Oddball, Archer and Riley sadly shook their heads.

"We don't do measuring, we're afraid," said Oddball. "That's something only humans can do."

"And here's another thing we don't understand about that 'boat'," added Archer. "You know what humans build boats for, don't you?"

"For sailing on and across bodies of water, obviously," said Edward. "But a boat that size would need a huge lake the size of this land or more to float on. But there's no nearby giant lake around here."

"Exactly," said Riley. "Apparently, that stick owning guy has built that thing on dry land. And you can guess what sort of mockery he received because of that, can't you?"

Edward looked back at the pterosaur with understanding.

"Well, one of us overheard what some of those mockers were saying to him when we observed him," said Oddball.

"Oh, don't tell me you've been risking your life again by getting too close to that construction site, haven't you?" said Edward with a frown. "You remember what happened last time."

"Yes, but this time Riley took the risk of investigating what was going on by flying over the site and the humans," said Oddball. Edward turned to Riley and frowned at him.

"Well, before you start telling me off for getting too close to those humans, I will tell you what I heard," said Riley confidently. "That stick owning guy was being laughed at and told that he was a confused and insane maniac and that for building a giant boat in the middle of nowhere, far away from any large enough water body. And that's not all; he was being mocked for... erm..."

Then he stopped and thought. "Let me guess," said Edward, "He's apparently confused."

"No, it's not that, I've just said it," said Riley and then went back into thinking. After thinking for a while, he got it.

"That was it," he said. "He was being told that he was not living the way the rest of the humans were living and that."

Edward was unsurprised. "Maybe he has his own way of living," he said.

"We don't know," said Riley. "But that's all I understand, but there's more..."

Suddenly, a voice called Edward's name. Edward, at this, turned round to see a panicked Emily come ambling towards him.

"Edward," she shouted flustered, but she calmed down when she approached him. "Oh, thank goodness, we wondered where you've gone, especially me, your mother and your family."

"Calm down, Emily," said Edward. "I'm with my trusted friend Oddball."

"Well you shouldn't be wandering around alone away from the herd," said Emily sternly. "You know you're more vulnerable and at serious risk of being hunted by humans when you're away from our safety..."

At this, Oddball came up to her. "Look, we're sorry for getting you worried by leading Edward away but we wanted to show him something."

Then Archer came up and said, "It's about that stick owning guy and the construction project he's been doing."

At this, Emily was curious but anxious to get back to the herd with Edward. "What's he been up to now?" she asked. Archer and Oddball pointed to what the 'stick owning guy' (to you readers, just to clear up any confusion, I'll reveal who it is: it is Noah) has been up to while Edward moved aside to show her.

"You'd be shocked," he said. Emily looked at the construction.

"What is THAT?" she asked seriously flabbergasted. "Is it a...?"

"...Boat of some sort?" said Riley finishing her question. "It is."

"But don't humans build boats normally when they're NEAR a water body?" asked Emily, "If they do, then how is it that that huge thing is in the middle of nowhere with no water body big enough for it?"

Riley came up to her and said, "I was just going to answer that. I overheard also what that stick owning guy was saying to one of the mocking humans."

"What's that?" asked Edward. Riley became very serious.

"He said that if the mockers don't turn from their ways, they will be washed away in the flood," he said. This statement had Edward, Emily, Oddball and Archer concerned.

"A flood?" asked Edward. "What sort of flood?"

"Well, I don't think it will be..." began Riley when Emily interrupted him.

"Well, I don't think it's anything to worry about because I feel it's time we went back to our herd," said Emily. "It's not safe here and if any humans find us, they will kill us for pleasure or something else, now let's go."

With that, she gave Edward a light tug on the ear with her trunk. Edward looked at Oddball and her two friends.

"Look, it's nice to meet you two," he said to Archer and Riley, "but I really must be getting back to my herd, and Oddball, congrats on your finding a new mate and I hope you and him have chicks together, but I really must go."

"It's okay," said Oddball. "At least you've seen what that stick owning guy's been doing."

Edward sighed and then went back to the herd with Emily. Emily turned and said to Oddball, "And make sure you stay well away from those humans as well. Till we meet again, see you."

With that, she and Edward left for the herd while Oddball, Riley and Archer left for their home. Later, when Edward and Emily were back with their elephant herd, they had told Edward's mother what they saw.

"A gigantic boat," said Edward's mother in utter disbelief, "on dry land away from any water body? Now who in the herd would believe that!?"

"But we saw it, Mum," said Edward. "It really was a boat. It may sound ridiculous but..."

"No buts," scolded his mother angrily. "You know that straying from our herd is dangerous. You could've been killed. So for another month, you're going to stay by my side. And as for you Emily, you're going to stay by your adoptive mother's side too."

At this, Edward was gutted. Emily looked at him and shook her head in disgust.

"You've really done it this time... AGAIN," she said. "I hope this teaches us a lesson until we both become independent of our mothers."

Edward only looked back at her with a frown and walked away with his mother, leaving a puzzled Emily to look on.

"When I told the other elephants about what Emily, Oddball, her two new friends and I have seen," said Edward in narration, "they didn't believe us and only laughed it off as nonsense. However, what happened next several weeks later was about to affect some of us, including myself..."

**A strange migration begins...**

A few more weeks have passed since Edward has seen the construction site which turned out to be a huge boat and the next thing to happen was to be even more bizarre to the animals. Back in the town where Henry the horse and his neighbour Milo lived, night was drawing in and the sun was setting. Everyone was preparing to go to bed and put the lights out, as well as lock up their houses. In Henry's stable, Henry's owner and his servants were putting the horses away for the night. The former was giving Henry his usual before-bedtime pampering and brushing, which he really enjoyed. The other four horses, however, were looking on in jealousy as usual. Although he was enjoying his before-bedtime pampering, Henry was still a bit concerned about his owner and his servants' behaviour to some sort of impending disaster. In the past few weeks, his and his four stablemates' owners have been receiving several more repeated messages warning them of an impending global flood that will wash them away in a judgement if they don't repent and turn to God, but they have laughed them off every time and disposed of the messages, taking no notice of them. While his owner was brushing him and preparing his stable for the night, Henry heard him talk to two of his servants about the messages and the global flood. They were laughing about it and saying that it was all nonsense and ridiculous. The owner said that a global flood was the most nonsense thing he had ever heard in his life. His two servants agreed, saying that it was impossible for such a catastrophe to happen. The owner reassured the pair that there was nothing to worry about since the weather had been too good for the past few days. And besides, said the leading owner, such a catastrophe will never happen anyway (or so he thinks). The two servants nodded in agreement and then went back to preparing the other four horses for the night. Henry, having heard this conversation, was really starting to get agitated. As his owner put him in his stable and gave him one last expensive treat before saying goodnight to him, and then went to check to see if every gate and door was locked, Henry was concerned.

"This hubbub and laughter about some 'global flood' has been going on for weeks now," he said with a sigh. He watched his owner and his servants continue their checking of the locks and then leave. After they had checked everything, the owner and his servants turned out the light of the stable, saying goodnight to the five horses and shutting the door. Henry sighed and tried to prepare to go to sleep, but was unable to because of his serious worries about the global flood subject. About a few hours into the night, Henry was still restless and unable to relax. The subject about the global flood was really on his mind and he could not forget about it. The other four horses, however, didn't seem bothered about the flood subject or anything else and were fast asleep. Henry saw them snoring and blowing z's and sighed. He decided to go out into the paddock for a walk. He unlocked the gate and opened it (he had learned how to undo the bolt by observing how his owners did them); left his stable, tiptoed toward the door and tried to open it. However, he noticed that the door was unlocked.

"That's strange," he said to himself. "I thought my owner and his servants have checked every door and gate. Why is this door still unlocked?"

He began to quietly push his head against the door and open it. The door creaked and nearly woke up two of the other four horses. Henry jolted at this reaction and then continued to open the door quietly. As soon as the door was wide enough, he walked out into the dark paddock. It was night and the moon and stars were out for there was not a cloud in the sky. Henry looked into the sky and sighed.

"Boy, this whole subject about some global flood really is starting to prey on my mind," he moaned to himself as he walked on. As he continued to walk on by the fence bordering his paddock and Milo's sheep farm next door, Henry heard faint footsteps come up to him from over the fence. At this, the horse stopped and looked in into the sheep farm wide-eyed with fright. The footsteps continued coming towards him. Henry stopped dead and looked on in fear and alert, trying to control his breathing. Then the footsteps stopped. When Henry noticed this, he gave a sigh of relief. Suddenly a voice jumped him.

"Henry?" it said. The horse jumped back and gasped with fright and then realised that it was Milo's voice.

"Henry," said Milo from the other side of the fence, "What are you doing up at this time of night?"

Henry only looked back at him confusingly. Then Milo frowned.

"You know you really shouldn't be up at this time," he said firmly. "Your owners are going to be worried about you."

The horse continued looking back at him. Finally, he spoke but reluctantly.

"I couldn't sleep," he said with a groan. "Something is... something is bothering me."

"Like what?" asked Milo, "Is it something to do with what your owners have been laughing about?"

Henry tried to deny it, but he couldn't. "Why do you ask?" he asked.

"Well, our shepherd and his servants have been laughing about something bizarre for days too," said Milo. "And it's been bugging me and some of the other sheep. Apparently, you're troubled by your owners laughing about the same subject as well."

"You mean some global flood?" asked Henry. Milo nodded.

"Well, when this loud laughing matter started," said Henry, "I merely put it off as something ridiculous and nonsense. But now that it's been going on for several weeks, I'm wondering what's going on."

"So have I, Henry," replied Milo in agreement. "But we just can't understand why this subject about some global flood has been going on for days now."

"That's why I'm starting to become restless," said Henry. "I suppose you've got worried ewes and lambs in your flock, haven't you?"

"Only a few of us, including myself," said Milo, "are worried about it as well. In fact most of my ewes are sick of the subject going on and on all the time. It's just driving us around the sheep farm."

"Understandable," said Henry unsurprised. "And I've just about had..."

Suddenly the horse stopped midsentence and began to act strangely. His eyes widened as though alert and his body froze. Milo was startled by Henry's bizarre behaviour.

"Henry," said the ram. "Henry! Are you alright?"

The horse didn't answer, however, but only turned and walked towards a gate which was an entrance/exit in and out of the paddock. Milo saw Henry walk towards the gate, break through it and then walk out into the street. Milo was really concerned for him this time.

"His owner is going to go berserk when he finds..." he began when suddenly; he blanked out and began to act strangely. Milo climbed through the fence and into Henry's paddock and followed Henry through the broken down gate and into the street. Then a while later, one of his ewes came walking through the fence, into Henry's paddock and out of the gate into the street, affected by the same strange phenomenon. Something was controlling the animals' behaviour. I wonder what (or who)...

Many miles from Henry and Milo's hometown, the sun was rising. Its light shone onto the hills and fields and clearings, as well as the many towns and villages. As the sun was coming up, Ida, Stomp and their sauropod herd awoke from their sleep. Alongside them, Cammie and her herd of fellow giraffes were also waking up and have begun eating some of the fruit from nearby trees. Cammie was still a bit concerned about the flood subject (though not as much as Henry and Milo were for she was wild and not domesticated). As she went toward a tree to have her breakfast, she asked her mother some questions.

"Mum," she said concerned, "Do you think there is going to be a flood or something?"

"What do you mean there's going to be a flood, Cammie?" replied her mother. "Of course there isn't going to be a flood. The previous days have just been too sunny and almost cloudless. I don't know where you heard that but..."

"Nelson told us that he heard some humans in that human's place over there laughing and talking about some global flood, Mum, while he was raiding a fruit tree for food with some other mice of his pack," interrupted Cammie.

"Oh, don't listen to that mouse," said her mother rather annoyed. "He's just trying to wind you and Stomp and Ida up with unimportant things."

"But he wasn't winding us up," said Cammie, "He was..."

Then her big sister came in.

"Look, Cammie," she said annoyed, "We've warned you about meddling and getting involved with those humans and their behaviour. You're to leave them alone."

"Exactly, Cammie," added her mother. "They're just up to their daily activities and business and it's not safe for us giraffes to get too close to that human's place and risk our lives watching them go about it."

Cammie just looked back at her mother and older sister with sad eyes and then went towards a branch to eat some of the leaves and fruits. In the sauropod herd, Stomp was going for a stroll looking for some more fruit to eat. He was admiring the sunshine and almost cloudless sky. As he was browsing a cluster of big trees and their fruit, he saw a familiar animal come towards him with mean eyes. At this, Stomp became angrily alert and reared up on his hind legs, but the beast continued approaching him. Although Stomp is still a young sauropod and was no bigger than Cammie, he could still crush a predator with his body bulk. As he reared up, the beast stopped and sneered.

"Whoa, calm down, long-neck," said the animal. "I'm not going to hunt you. I've already had my breakfast before sunrise."

At this, Stomp placed his forefeet back on the earth, but he was still very angry and alert of the animal, which turned out to be Clawson the cat.

"You come any closer, and I'll call one of my bigger relatives several times my size to come and crush you like a nut, you fang toothed freak!" Stomp fiercely warned the cat. Clawson only held up his paw and smiled. Stomp looked at him angrily and annoyed.

"I told you I wasn't going to hunt you, long-neck," said Clawson cheekily. "I was only visiting you."

"Yeah but you're still a natural threat to some of us," retorted Stomp in reply. "Now you leave us be or I'll have one of my big relatives come and squish you flat. You've been warned."

"Hey, keep your scales on, long-neck," said Clawson trying to calm him down. "I mean no harm."

"It would be easy for one of my big relatives to crush you with one belly flop," said Stomp fiercely, "like stepping on a fruit."

Clawson, however, didn't back down at this warning and refused to budge. Then Stomp raised his head and was about to call one of his big relatives when, "Hey, kitty cat, what are you doing tormenting that pile of meat?"

At this, Clawson turned and saw a fleet-footed theropod come running towards him. The cat recognised the speedy reptile.

"YOU," Clawson snarled fiercely, "You and your scaly comrades are still bothering my pack back home!?"

The theropod, whose name was Sickle-Claw, stopped and laughed.

"I had a feel day picking on your brother Dash with some of my packmates," Sickle-Claw sniggered tauntingly. "We've wondered what's happened to the hair on some of your necks. Have you stretched them or something?"

Clawson was enraged.

"It's called a mane you pest!" he snapped. Then Stomp looked closely at Clawson's mane.

"It has grown," he said surprised but then he frowned. "You looked scrawny and ugly when we first met you. But you look even uglier now."

This offended Clawson seriously.

"UGLY!?" he snapped with rage. "Just who do you think you're calling ugly you oversized overstuffed fruit bag? I'm a magnificent beast with these newly grown hairs."

Then it was Stomp's turn to be offended but just before he was about to call one of his bigger relatives, he saw Sickle-Claw looking at him with piercing, mean eyes. Seeing him as a potential predator, Stomp panicked.

"A predator!" he called, "A predator, help me!"

With that, he turned round and ambled back to his herd, bellowing. Sickle-Claw looked on and licked his lips.

"I think one of them piles of meat will be our next choice of meal," he said with an oily smile.

"I wouldn't attempt to bring down one of those oversized beasts," said Clawson, "They have big bodies when they reach adulthood. They could easily crush you with their big feet."

Suddenly a piece of fruit flew and hit Clawson on the side of his head. The cat shook himself and looked in the direction in which it came. It was Nelson from the mouse pack. He was sitting upon a rock staring at Clawson with fierce eyes.

"If you're threatening our friends, cat," he shouted, "I suggest you leave our habitat this minute."

With that he threw another fruit at Clawson, hitting him in the face again. Then Sickle-Claw looked up and saw something coming towards him and Clawson.

"Er... kitty cat," he said becoming alerted. Clawson turned and saw a giant sauropod several times the size of Stomp (who was with it) come walking towards him. Intimidated by the sheer size of the animal, Clawson screeched with fright and ran off. Sickle-Claw followed him.

"There's no way I'M hunting that giant alone," said Sickle-Claw as he ran off after Clawson. Nelson saw them leave as Stomp walked up beside him.

"It's a good idea to call one of your biggest relatives to come and scare that cat off, Stomp," said the smug mouse.

"Yes," said Stomp still hurt from Clawson's mean remark. "And I hope he doesn't bother us again."

Then a few minutes later, the members of both the sauropod and giraffe herds were all awake and were grazing away at the fruit. Nelson and his pack have been browsing the fruit of some more trees to hoard back into their burrow. However, something strange was about to happen. While Stomp was munching away on more fruit from another tree, he was looking forward to becoming as big as the elder sauropods.

"Boy, I can't wait to reach the size of the elders," he said. "Therefore I can scare off predators just by towering over them and making them feel like they're tiny, vulnerable creatures."

"Yeah, but don't count on it too much, Stomp," said Cammie nearby. "There are some predators that are as big as you, you know."

Stomp was too proud to take in this warning however. Then he began to look for his friend Ida, who was staring at something in the distance.

"I suppose you're looking forward to becoming big as well, aren't you, Ida," he asked delightfully. However, Ida didn't answer for she was too mesmerised and surprised by something in the distance. Stomp became concerned.

"Ida?" he asked. "What is it?"

Then he looked ahead in the same direction. His curiosity turned to surprise when he saw what Ida saw. What they saw were some animals walking and flying across the terrain for some reason. Stomp was surprised. Then Cammie and Nelson came walking in to see what the two sauropods were gazing at, as did Cammie's mother. Cammie was curious.

"What's going on?" Cammie asked.

"Looks like those animals are on a migration trip or something," said her mother.

"What for?" asked Stomp, "To escape some habitat change? But the habitat around here is too fertile and productive for such a migration to occur."

Nelson looked hard at some of the passing animals. "Maybe they're on the move to new pastures," he suggested.

"But the pastures around here are productive," said Stomp perplexed by this unusual migration of the animals. "I don't see why there should be a migration of animals leaving this area."

Ida continued to gaze at the passing animals. Cammie and Stomp looked at her worried.

"Ida," said Stomp becoming concerned, "Ida are you alright?"

Ida remained silent, however. Then she began to walk after the animals. At this, Stomp was alarmed.

"What's happening to her?" he shouted. Cammie's mother only shook her head in an 'I don't know' response.

Then Cammie began to become unusually mesmerised by the unusual migration of the animals for a minute, before following Ida to join them. Cammie's mother was concerned and attempted to go after her, but was prevented by one of the giraffe elders.

"Come on," she said. "Let's get back to grazing."

"But my calf has..." stammered Cammie's mother in a panicked state.

"Just leave her," said the elder giraffe. "I don't think we can do anything to stop her."

Cammie's mother reluctantly did what the elder giraffe said and went back to the giraffe herd. Then Stomp and Nelson became mesmerised by the migration of the animals and then walked off to join them. Stomp's mother saw him leave but didn't do anything; neither did any of the other sauropods. Then a minute later, one of the female mice from Nelson's pack came walking under some sort of mesmerisation out of the burrow to join the strange migration. The rest of Nelson's pack, however, were too busy searching and hoarding food into their burrow to notice what had happened to Nelson and one of their females.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

**More animals join the strange migration...**

Not too far away from where Cammie and Stomp lived, Clawson was returning to his pack and den. "Boy that was close," said Clawson still rather shaken from the confrontation of one of Stomp's bigger relatives. "I don't know how you pesky fleet-foots tackle those giant beasts but for us cats, they're a no-no to bring down."

"It is teamwork, kitty cat," replied Sickle-Claw cheekily. "It's what we fleet-footed reptiles do when we bring down prey many times our average size that are too dangerous and life threatening to tackle alone."

"Yeah right," growled Clawson in response. Then when he was on the border of his pack's territory, he gave a sigh.

"And I never want to come face to face with an oversized beast that's long-neck's (Stomp's) kind ever again," he said. Sickle-Claw just laughed at this.

"You sure were a scaredy-cat," he said, "So much for your magnificence..."

At this, Clawson roared at him and raised his paw, startling the theropod into scrabbling and running away for fear of his life. Clawson watched him leave with a smug face. Just then Dash and another cat came up to him.

"Clawson, bro!" gasped Dash with relief. "We wondered where you've gone."

"We thought you were killed by those evil humans," said the other cat. Clawson gave an irritated sigh.

"Oh yeah, those laugher-boxes," he said. "No, I haven't been approached by them. I've just seen them laugh their heads off at something in their towns and villages and out in the open while I was hunting day after day."

"You know," said Dash with curiosity, "I wonder why they've been laughing so much these past few weeks. Anyway let's get back to our den."

Clawson sighed and followed Dash and the other cat back to the den. However, by the time they had arrived back at their den's entrance, Clawson looked up and saw a group of animals walking by many metres from them.

"Boys," he called Dash and the other cat. "Look at this."

The other cat and Dash walked up to him and looked at the animals walking past. The animals appeared to be in some sort of trance, and each individual animal appeared to be from many different kinds. Clawson was perplexed.

"What's going on?" he asked his brother Dash and the other cat.

"A migration herd of various animals?" asked Dash curiously. "That can't be right."

"Normally, herds and packs consist of members that are of the same kind like giraffes for example and cervids (deer)," said the other cat, "But this herd doesn't. I wonder why."

Then Clawson saw some familiar individuals walk by with the other animals. At this, he gasped in shock.

"Long-neck and his friends," he said (referring to Stomp, Ida, Cammie and Nelson). "Why are they among that unusual herd?"

Dash looked at the two sauropods, giraffe and mouse and shook his head.

"I don't know," he said casually. "I think they've grown tired of their herds and have decided to move on or something."

Clawson continued gazing at the passing animals and didn't answer. The other cat began to become concerned.

"Clawson," he said. "Are you alright?"

But Clawson didn't answer. Then the other cat grabbed and tugged his mane hairs to get his attention, but that didn't stir the mesmerised cat either. Then Clawson began to advance towards the passing animals. Dash saw him leave.

"Where are you going?" he shouted concerned and grabbed hold of his mane and tried to pull him back as hard as he could. The other cat did the same. However, this didn't stop Clawson from walking towards the passing animals and Dash and the other cat ended up ripping some of his mane hairs out of his neck and back when trying to stop him. But Clawson walked on undeterred by the pain. When they found that they were left with some of Clawson's mane hairs, Dash and the other cat looked on as the mesmerised Clawson walked towards the passing animals. Dash and the other cat gasped in panic and tried to pull Clawson back by the tail, but Clawson's tail slipped out of their paws as the hypnotized cat continued walking towards the animals passing by. Dash and the other cat were flung back by the reacting force of their pull. When they looked up and saw Clawson join the passing animals, they were in despair.

"I don't know what we're going to do Dash," said the other cat disappointed. "He's too mesmerised."

"Well, I don't think there's any point of trying to snap him out of that trance," replied Dash. Then the two cats just sat there and watched Clawson join the unusual migration of passing animals. Not too far away, Sickle-Claw the theropod was on his way back to his pack when he too saw the strange migration of animals begin to pass by him. At this, he became curious.

"That's strange," he said to himself. "What's going on with those animals?"

Then he began to investigate...

A few hundred miles away on the seashore on which a penguin flock resided, the penguins were up to their usual activities and play. The chicks were still too young to leave the flock and go swimming on their own and were still fed by their parents, but they were allowed to go further for they were now beginning their adolescent life stage. However, the same mesmerisation that struck Henry, Cammie and some others was about to happen here as well. The young penguins including Torpedo and Pippa were frolicking in the showers caused by water slamming against the rocks and splashing up as usual. The parents in charge of looking after the young penguins were the mothers; their mates have gone fishing as it was their turn to bring back food for their growing offspring. Some of the elder female penguins were nearby the frolicking young penguins keeping vigil for any areal predator that may be on the hunt. Torpedo and the other young penguins with him were also cautious.

"I hope that crazy bird doesn't come back and target us again," he said timidly. "That assault when it swooped down on us and nearly grabbed me was very scary."

"It certainly was, Torpedo," agreed Pippa equally afraid. "I thought you were taken by that flying monster. But that attack as seriously taught me a lesson not to stray too far from the penguin flock."

"Yeah, me too," said another young penguin nearby, "I thought I'd be caught and snatched into the air when that featherless bird came flying low over us with its claws outstretched. Ooooh, I haven't been sleeping for days since that attack."

Torpedo only looked at him sympathetically. Just then a few pairs of seabirds of several different types appeared and flew over the flock of penguins. Pippa and Torpedo watched them as they flew overhead. Their appearance startled the penguins on the watch because they thought they were on the hunt. When the young penguins saw the seabirds fly onward over the town, they were surprised.

"What's up with those birds?" asked Torpedo.

"I don't know," replied Pippa in equal puzzlement. Then a mother of one of the other young penguins came up to the pair and the third young penguin as they watched the seabirds fly over the penguin flock.

"Why are those birds flying away from the sea when they naturally stay near it for food and breeding?" asked Torpedo.

"I don't know," replied the adult penguin as she put her flippers around her son (not Torpedo). "But I thought they were areal predators when they flew over us."

"Maybe they..." began Torpedo when he suddenly cut out and began to act oddly. When Pippa noticed this, she became worried.

"Torpedo?" she said to the penguin, but her friend didn't answer and began to walk over the rock and onto the beach. He walked straight into a group of other young penguins who were playing in a ring together, much to their disgust. Then Pippa began to act oddly and walked after Torpedo.

"Pippa," said the adult penguin, "Pippa!"

The female young penguin, however, didn't answer and walked straight past her. The adult penguin's son was also very worried. Then his mother cried out for Pippa and Torpedo's mothers in a panic to alert them. As she did that, Torpedo and Pippa walked straight through another group of young penguins playing around.

"Hey!" said one of the penguins as they walked right through the group without noticing their presence. "Don't you know we're trying to play a game here?"

"Yeah," said another, "It's rude to interrupt someone else's fun."

The two penguins didn't respond and continued walking on. Then Torpedo and Pippa's mothers, who were talking about something, saw their son and daughter walk towards the periphery of the nearby human's place (town). At this, they panicked and ran after them. The other adult female penguins also panicked as they saw the two young penguins about to enter the human's place and ran after them to stop them. Torpedo's mother ran to the front of her son and Pippa and tried to block their path. However, Torpedo and Pippa just knocked her down and walked right over her front, not noticing her presence at all. At this, she angrily got up and grabbed her son and began to pull him back. Pippa's mother came running up, grabbed hold of her daughter and began to pull her back as well.

"You get back to the flock this MINUTE!" shouted Torpedo's mother as she pulled on her son. However, Torpedo continued walking in the direction and ignored her orders. Pippa did the same and ignored her mother's orders to return to the flock; much to the latter's angry frustration. Then many other female penguins ran to the front and tried to help by blocking Torpedo and Pippa's path. Back on the shore, the other young penguins and the remaining mothers were looking on curiously as they watched their friends try to help Torpedo and Pippa's mothers bring their son and daughter back to the beach.

"You know full well that that human's place is dangerous, you naughty boy!" shouted Torpedo's mother as she struggled to pull back Torpedo. "Now obey my orders or I'll ground you for days!"

Still Torpedo acted as though his mother wasn't there and continued trying to walk into the town. Pippa did the same. Torpedo slipped out of his mother's flippers, fell down on his stomach and tobogganed through the crowd of penguins, Pippa followed him as well. At this, Torpedo's mother was really beginning to lose her temper.

"When I get that son of mine back here I'm going to spank him!" she shouted. Then Torpedo and Pippa stood back up on their feet, jumped over several small trees and sticks and entered the alleys of the human's place (that is, town). The adult penguins looked on in horror.

"They're risking their lives by going into that human's place!" said one of them.

"There may be wandering humans in these apparent deserted places and if they see them two, they could ambush them and kill them," said another.

"Well, let's hope we can bring them back before that happens," said a third.

"Well you go ahead and try to bring them back here while some of us stay behind," said a fourth. "We don't want to risk our own lives at the hands of those evil humans."

Then a group of the adult penguins (including Pippa's mother) began to scurry into the human's place and try to overtake Torpedo and Pippa in an attempt to get in their way and block their path. Back on the beach, Torpedo's mother was distraught.

"My mate's not going to be pleased when he hears about our son's behaviour," she sobbed. One of the other female penguins hugged her to comfort her. Meanwhile, back in the alleyways of the human's place, Torpedo and Pippa were still walking along and behaving as though the buildings in the human's place weren't there around them (though they did seem partially aware of their presence and avoided walking into their walls). The group of penguins watched them walk through the alleyway and saw that it led to the other side of town. They also saw that there were branches from the alleyway leading to other alleys.

"Alright, some of you go up straight ahead and set up a wall to block their path because I have a feeling they're going in that direction," said the leader, "And while you do that, the rest of us will attempt to stop them by ambushing them using those paths leading away from the alley those two are walking through, but for goodness' sake watch out for any humans!"

The other penguins agreed and the group split up and went to their destinations to attempt to stop Pippa and Torpedo. Pippa and Torpedo were continuing their walk down the main alleyway towards the other side of the human's place. As they approached the first junction of two paths branching from the main alley, some of the penguins ran to there and hid, hoping to ambush and catch Torpedo and Pippa as they walked past. As the two penguins walked by their hiding place, the group leapt out and pounced on them. Though they did manage to get a hold of Torpedo and Pippa, it didn't stop them from slipping out of their grasp and continue walking down the alley. The group of penguins got up and tried grabbing Torpedo and Pippa again but before they could do so, they heard footsteps coming towards them. One of the penguins looked up and saw a group of humans come walking in their direction.

"Humans!" she cried, "Quick! Let's get out of here!"

The penguins immediately scrambled to get back to the beach but some collided into each other. The late starters then recovered and scarpered after the others moments before the group of humans reached the same spot. Fortunately, the humans didn't notice the penguins for they were too busy with disposing waste. Still Torpedo and Pippa continued walking down the alley. It took a few minutes for Torpedo and Pippa to reach the other side of the human's place and emerge safely out the other end of the alley. Along the way, several groups of the other penguins tried to stop them but had failed. As Torpedo and Pippa exited the human's place and were about to enter a grassy clearing, they were confronted by a wall of adult penguins led by Pippa's mother, who was by now furious and determined to get the two wanderers back to the beach and the rest of the flock.

"You both have gone too far this time, Torpedo and Pippa!" snarled Pippa's mother angrily. The other penguins in the wall were also very angry with them. However, Torpedo and Pippa acted as though the wall of penguins wasn't there and walked right into it. The penguins then piled onto Torpedo and Pippa and began to struggle to pull them back to the beach with them. Squawks of frustration and grunts erupted from the space as Pippa's mother and her comrades struggled to get Torpedo and Pippa under control and restraint, but they could not restrain the two penguins for they were under some sort of instinct to continue in that direction. As they continued to struggle with Torpedo and Pippa's urge to continue walking into the clearing, one of the penguins looked up and saw some humans come towards the group. At this, she squawked to get the others' attention.

"There's a group of humans approaching us!" she called. The other penguins looked up and saw the group of people walking towards them also. Sensing that the humans were after them for something, the penguins released Torpedo and Pippa and prepared to dash back the way they came. Pippa's mother, however, was reluctant to let her daughter go but the penguin that saw the humans first urged her to do so.

"Leave your daughter," she ordered. "There's no point trying to pull her back. If those two want to go ahead and walk away from us, then that's their problem, but let's get back to the flock before those humans reach us."

Pippa's mother did so and she and the other penguins scarpered back into the alleyway and towards the safety of the beach. The humans then began to pursue the penguins down the alley unaware of Torpedo and Pippa's presence as the latter began to walk into the grassy clearing. Not too far away, Marvin the sail-backed lizard was scavenging on a corpse of an ox; unaware at first of what's going on with some of the animals living around him. As he pulled a chunk of meat out of the dead body and began to eat it, he saw some seabirds fly by over the grassland for some reason. At this, he stopped eating and went to investigate.

"That's strange," he said with a frown. "What are those seabirds doing flying over grassland?"

He looked at them harder when suddenly a voice startled him.

"Marvin?" said the feminine voice. Marvin bolted his head up and saw Storm the pterosaur standing behind him.

"Storm?" said Marvin very surprised, "You made me jump."

"Sorry," apologised Storm, "But I've just come here to check on you."

"Oh, thanks, I'm fine," replied Marvin. "But I suppose you're perplexed as to what's happening to some of the animals, aren't you?"

"Well, when I was waiting for a male pterosaur to come and find me," replied Storm, "I saw Jaws and another large millipede crawl out of their home thicket and into the clearing followed by some other creepy-crawlies of various types, so I took off and flew overhead to see what was going on."

"What else did you see?" asked Marvin.

"I also saw some water birds fly over those few land animals as I flew to investigate what was going on," said Storm. "But I also saw some penguins struggle with something in that human's place as well."

"Penguins... in that human's place?" probed Marvin, "What were they doing in that dangerous area?"

Storm shrugged her shoulders. Then Marvin looked up and gazed at the animals in wonder.

"I wonder where... they are... going..." he said dreamily and began to walk after them. Storm was concerned.

"Marvin?" she said but the sail-backed lizard didn't answer. Storm became worried.

"Not you as WELL!" she screeched in frustration. Then the pterosaur herself began to feel an instinctive urge to fly in the same direction as the passing seabirds.

"Something doesn't feel right about this place, anyway," she said to herself with concern. "I'd better leave for a safer place..."

With that she walked to a small cliff and took to the air. Then she followed the seabirds and the land animals (including Marvin) to some sort of destination...

"Some of the animals were under some sort of mesmerisation and were migrating to somewhere," narrated Edward the elephant. "They were guided by instinct or something to some destination but not just any destination, but a specific one as you will see..."

Many hours later, back in Edward's herd, Edward was walking around with his mother and sister grazing and eating as usual. He was still grounded by his mother and was exasperated as a result, feeling that he was now old enough to go around without his mother and look out for himself. However, his mother was very worried for his safety and as a result was overprotective of him. While he walked around with his relatives, Edward was still pondering about that bizarre 'giant land boat' as he had called it and what its purpose was supposed to be, but he still could not understand why the 'stick owning guy' had built such a big water vessel in the middle of nowhere far away from any water body. Nearby the elephant herd, Oddball and Archer were gliding around pursing small birds and mammals to catch and eat. Unlike with her brother Quadwing whom she frequently quarrelled with over prey, Oddball was more sharing with Archer. Nearby them Riley the long tailed pterosaur was flying around chasing after small flying insects. While Oddball and Archer were chasing the critters, Emily came walking up to them with her adoptive mother.

"Having fun, you two?" she asked the two four-winged birds.

"We're trying to catch some prey actually," replied Archer after he missed a small lizard.

"But these critters sure are hard to catch," added Oddball.

"Well I'm not surprised," said Emily with a smile. "They're so fast and agile."

Just then a voice called Oddball and Archer's names.

"Archer, Oddball!" it cried, "Archer, Oddball!"

At this the two four-winged birds stopped and looked up to see a giant dragonfly come flying into view. Emily also looked up and saw it.

"Buzzy, my friend," said Archer with a smile. "How have you been?"

Then Buzzy the giant dragonfly stopped and hovered above the two birds and Emily with widened compound eyes with apparent surprise and shock.

"What is it?" asked Oddball when she saw his widened compound eyes. Buzzy began to speak.

"You are not going to believe this," said the dragonfly, "But I've been observing the boat thingy built by that human with the stick. There is a large crowd of animals in the distance heading in its direction."

This shocked Oddball and Archer. They looked at each other with widened eyes and agape. Then Emily spoke up.

"What is it now, dragonfly?" she asked in disbelief. "Is that boat becoming a zoo or something?"

Suddenly her adoptive mother came up to her and interrupted the talk.

"Emily," she said with a tap on Emily's shoulder with her trunk. "Come on. Let's move on a little further to eat some fruit. They're just talking nonsense."

Emily reluctantly left and followed her adoptive mother. Oddball watched her leave.

"None of the elephants of Edward's herd seem to believe our observations of that giant dry land boat, do they?" she said rather annoyed, "Despite the fact that Edward and Emily had seen it."

Archer only shook his head and shrugged his shoulders while Buzzy only hovered in the air and looked on. A few minutes later, the elephant herd had moved somewhat closer to the 'dry land boat' site in search of more fresh pastures while Riley the pterosaur continued chasing the flying insects nearby. By the time Edward's herd had moved within range of the site, Edward looked up and saw the same 'dry land boat' he had seen a few days ago. He called his mother.

"Mum, look!" he called and pointed his trunk at the boat. His mother and sister came and looked at the big object. They were severely awed at the sight.

"What is that?" gasped Edward's mother in shock.

"Is that the boat..." began Edward's sister equally shocked.

"Yes that is the boat Emily and I attempted to tell you about but you wouldn't believe us," said Edward. Oddball, Archer and the other elephants came in to see the spectacle. They trumpeted among themselves in wonder and awe of the 'dry land boat'. Then Oddball saw a large herd of animals walk towards it and up the ramp built from the ground to the dry land boat's door.

"What are those animals doing going up that ramp?" she asked. Edward looked hard at the ramp and saw a line of animals beginning to ascend the ramp in pairs just as Riley flew and landed on a nearby rock, having caught a small insect to eat. He too looked up and saw the unusual spectacle just as he was beginning to eat his prey.

"That's odd," he said, "Why are those animals going up that ramp in pairs?"

Buzzy descended from the air and hovered beside him.

"It's just as I have guessed, Riley," he said, "Those animals were for some reason walking in that dry land boat's direction. But now they are pairing up and going up that wooden thingamajig leading to the boat's side hole."

The elephants were gazing at the spectacle also. Edward was curious.

"What's going on, Mum?" he asked his mother.

"I don't know Edward," replied his mother, "But whatever's happening over there it's not important. Anyway, let's get back to grazing."

The elephants began to return to their search for food few at a time, but Edward was mesmerised at the site of the dry land boat. When she noticed that Edward had not moved with her to return to grazing as ordered, Edward's mother turned round and tugged his ear with her trunk.

"Edward, come on!" she yelled to him, but her son was still mesmerised by the site of the boat. Then he began to walk towards it. Oddball, Archer, Riley and Buzzy noticed the male elephant move towards the boat.

"When I looked at that 'dry land boat'," narrated Edward, "I suddenly felt an irresistible urge to walk towards it, despite objections from my mother..."

Edward's mother was really beginning to lose patience and panic.

"Edward!" she called distraught, "Get back here!"

She and Edward's sister then tried to restrain Edward, but he still continued walking towards the boat. Then Oddball, Archer, Buzzy and Riley began to strangely walk towards the boat as well, mesmerised by it also. Some of the other elephants heard Edward's mother's cries of frustration and turned round to see her attempt to pull Edward back to the herd with her daughter.

"Edward!" sobbed Edward's mother, "Edward! What are you doing! Come back will you!"

"Come on, Ed, bro," added Edward's sister, "Snap out of it! You know it's not safe to go wandering away from our herd again!"

They tried in vain to pull Edward back to the herd but Edward slipped from their grasp and continued walking towards the boat. Emily, who was also afflicted by the same mesmerisation, followed him closely behind. Edward's mother was now in a state of severe panic. She tried going after him again, but the leader of the herd, the matriarch's eldest daughter, stepped in and blocked her path.

"What are you doing!?" shouted Edward's mother tearfully, "I want to get my son back this minute!"

"Look," said the leader, "Just leave him and Emily. If they want to leave this herd or something, then let them go. I think they might want to start a herd of their own or something but I don't know, but just let them go as I said."

Edward's mother looked at her with tears in her eyes. Then some of the leader's sisters came, put their trunks around her to comfort her and lead her back to the herd.

"But he's grounded for a month and his grounding period's not over yet," sobbed Edward's mother as she went back to the herd with the leader's sisters. As she left, Edward's sister looked at the leader with sad eyes and followed her mother back to the herd. The leader sighed and did the same.

"I hope you two have fun starting your own herd together," she said looking back at Edward and Emily as they went towards the boat. Then she left and joined her herd.

"We walked towards the boat and paired up," said Edward in narration, "I paired up with Emily, Oddball paired up with Archer and Riley the long tailed pterosaur paired up with a female of his kind and we went up the ramp along with hundreds of other pairs of animals. None of us had absolutely any idea of what was happening to us; we just went up the ramp and towards the door of the dry land boat in twos. But I bet you can imagine what sort of a spectacle this was to the other humans when they saw and how they treated the stick owning guy..."

As the animals gathered together, paired up and walked up the ramp, and the flying animals (birds, etc) paired up and flew into the 'dry land boat' via the door on its portside, people were watching the phenomenon. They laughed and jeered loudly saying that it was a pointless and ridiculous job for the 'stick owning guy' and his family to do. The 'stick owning man' continued to tell them that God was going to send a flood that was going to cover the whole earth in a few days time and if they don't repent and turn to Him, they will drown in the flood. However, the spectators cachinnated and mocked these warnings and called the 'stick owning man' an insane drunkard, maniacal madman and a senseless so-and-so, etc.

"Furthermore," said Edward in narration, "The stick owning guy seemed to have finished building this wooden dry land boat and was now waiting for all the animals to enter it. I assume that he may have already gathered food for us and for him and some other humans who were to board the boat with him as well. The boat seemed ready for something the stick owning guy kept warning the other humans about but the latter kept laughing it off as nonsense and ludicrous. But what was to come next arrived some time later..."

**The clouds gather and it starts to rain**

As the animals continued walking up the ramp and into the boat two by two, in the clear skies above, small black clouds suddenly appeared and began to grow in size and merge with other black clouds to form bigger ones. These black clouds then continued to expand and grow larger and larger. Rain drops then started to fall from them; few at a time at first and then in increasing quantities and larger trickles. Thunder then rumbled in the expanding rainclouds as they released the rain. While this was happening, the animals continued ascending the ramp in pairs and entered the boat. The spectators, upon seeing the skies fill with black clouds and the rain start to fall, only laughed it off as merely a little storm and dispersed to return to their towns and villages, leaving the 'stick owning man' to finish the job of checking all the animals and complete his task. However, what the spectators failed to realise was that the downpour of this rain was the start of a watery judgement that was to cover the whole earth.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

**The 'stick owning man' and his family enter the boat**

"We animals continued entering the dry land boat two by two," narrated Edward, "and while we were doing that, the rains had started to fall. It was only a matter of a few more days when the time had finally come for the stick owning guy and some other humans to enter the boat after the last of the animals were finally onboard..."

The rains continued falling down from the sky which was by now black as coal with huge storm clouds. The 'stick owning guy', along with three other men and four women, finally entered the boat from the ramp as soon as all the animals were onboard. Then a minute later, the door was shut (not by the 'stick owning man').

**The rains continue to fall and the fountains of the deep burst open**

As the rains continued falling, Edward's herd was surprised at the downpour. They had never seen such deluge in their lives and were scrambling to find shelter. At the same time, the people who had been watching the 'stick owning man' build the boat and the gathering of the animals and their boarding it were sheltering in their houses, hoping that the rains will eventually stop. Some were praying to their made up gods that they will stop the rains while others were riding out the storm hoping that it would last only a few hours and were not worried about the downpour... yet. A few of the people were also wondering what had happened to the 'stick owning man' when they saw that he wasn't there and that the door of the 'dry land boat' was shut. Though some didn't care, a small number of people were curious and wanted to investigate the 'stick owning man's' whereabouts. They knocked on the door of the 'dry land boat' to see if the man was there, but the only answer they got was silence. Thinking that the man wasn't bothered about them anymore, the people left, running for their houses as the rains continued pouring heavily. A few hundred miles away where Henry the horse and Milo the ram once lived, the people there were surprised at the downpour in their area. The sky over that region was also black as charcoal and it was though the sunny day had turned into night with all the storm clouds completely covering the sky in a thick black covering. Henry's stablemates were shocked at the sight as they watched the rain gush down from the sky through the windows of their stable. It was so dark that their owners had lit candle lamps to give some light as they were checking on the horses.

"Boy, we've never seen such black skies like this in our lives," said one of the stallions.

"Yeah, not to mention this downpour," said the other stallion.

"Well, I hope this storm doesn't last," said one of the mares reassuringly, "Mind you our owners are not even worried about this weather."

"But they are about Henry," said the first stallion. "Our leading owner's been frantically searching for him."

The second mare, however, was smug and glad that the horse has disappeared from the stable. "Well at least we don't have to put up with that puffy pest's showing off anymore," she said with a smug smile. "He was an outright show-off."

The other three horses nodded and replied in agreement. In the sheep farm next door, the flock of sheep were baaing and bleating and running around in a panic as they wondered what happened to the clear blue, almost cloudless skies.

"Wow!" said one of the ewes, "What's happened to the skies?"

"I don't know," said another ewe, "First it was lovely and sunny and then it's as black as night with all this foul water pouring down. What's going on?"

The other sheep were bleating and running around as though they were being chased by a predator equally confused as to what's happened to the weather. Then the shepherd came out with his sheepdog and herded the panicked sheep into a group and guided them into the barn to keep them out of the rain, hoping like every other human that the rains will eventually stop. In the rest of the town, people were also panicking and were confused about the weather. Elsewhere, in Cammie and Stomp's habitat, the sauropods and giraffes were hastily trying to find higher ground, sensing that the rains might cause a flood. Other animals joined them in their search for higher ground as well. Dash and the other cat were still wondering what has happened to Dash's brother Clawson, but now they were beginning to wonder what has happened to the weather as well. They looked up at the very dark skies with worrisome eyes as they left with the other animals to seek higher ground. On the beach where Torpedo and Pippa once lived, the penguins were also wondering about the heavy rainfall and immensely black skies. In the town near their beach habitat, people were hastily taking shelter in their houses and bolting their doors. The penguins began to question about the black skies and the rains.

"What's happened to the skies?" asked one of them.

"I don't know," said another, "But they've suddenly turned black."

Suddenly a flash of lighting jumped the flock into squawking and running around. Off the coast of the penguins' home beach, waves were forming at enormous heights as winds howled and gusted across the surface of the sea. A massive wave splashed against the beach and the penguins, washing some of them into the stormy waters. The other penguins, frightened by the waves, squawked and ran further up the beach and then into the town. As they frantically ran up the beach, the penguins heard a rumbling noise.

"What's that sound?" asked one of them.

"Tell us that was from the skies," said another penguin. Then a third penguin came running up.

"I think that came from behind us..." it said worryingly and then it looked out into the sea agape. The other penguins did the same. The rumbling sound they had just heard was from under the ocean floor. The ocean floor rumbled again and then a fissure suddenly and violently opened. Water gushed immediately from the opening and shot up like a giant geyser from the bottom of the sea to the surface of the water, appearing as a giant curtain-like fountain several hundred meters high above the sea surface. The penguins were seriously startled by this sight and scarpered all the more up the beach and into the town. Elsewhere on land more giant fissures suddenly opened up violently and more water spewed from them. This frightening sight was so scary that it sent people and animals nearby into indescribable pandemonium. They ran around like mad things racked with confusion as to what happened to the earth. While the waters were spraying from the fissures from deep within the earth, the rains continued falling extremely heavily from the skies. The skies were completely black with rainclouds all around the globe and fissures were opening and spraying waters like giant fountains also all around the globe. A while later, the rising water caused by the rains and fountains from under the earth was now knee deep. People, realising that the rains and fountains were causing a flood, began to panic. They grabbed their possessions hastily and flee their homes to seek higher ground. As they did this, some of the humans began to realise that all this was what the 'stick owning man' had warned them prior to his entering of the boat, but it was too late to do anything about it now; they were going to drown without any doubt in the flood. They had not heeded the warnings from the man about the coming watery judgement of God (Who had sent these rains and opened up the fissures to release water from within the earth) and now they were to face this judgement. However, people tried their best to escape the rising floodwaters by seeking higher ground with the animals. Some money and wealth obsessed individuals tried to grab their gold and other precious materials and stuff them into bags to take with them on the quest for higher ground. Back near the giant boat (the phrase 'dry land boat' is no longer applicable to it from here on with a few exceptions), some people, having realised that the 'stick owning man' was right all along about the warnings went up to the boat and banged desperately on the door with their fists and yelling to be allowed in. But all they got was no answer. They even tried to open the door physically but the door was sealed shut as though it had infinitely strong glue applied to its frames. Upon realising that they had been shut out to face the waters, the people left the boat to seek higher ground alongside everyone else. But the efforts of the humans and land animals to seek higher ground will be in vain as the floodwaters continued to rise. As they continued to do so, the giant boat built by the 'stick owning man' was lifted off the ground and it began to float. The ramp that led to its now-shut door (on which the animals walked on to board the boat) collapsed and was washed away in a torrent of water. It has probably been about a week now since the rains started and still the floodwaters continued to deepen.

**On the boat and the mystery of the boat's purpose is revealed**

"We were not sure what was happening outside the giant boat as we were in some sort of hibernation mode at first," narrated Edward, "But I can imagine what sort of panic those people and animals faced when they realised that the floodwaters were rising..."

It has been about a week since the 'stick owning man' and the other seven humans with him have entered the boat and after the door was shut once they were onboard and now they were up to their duties. They were preparing to feed the animals and were sorting the food. While they were doing this, the animals that had entered the boat were fully awake ready for their meals. They were wondering where they were and what had happened to them since the time they fell under the instinctive 'spell' to go the boat till time they had boarded it and the door was shut. Henry the horse was particularly worried and confused, though not severely stressed.

"Oooh, there's no place like home," he muttered, "Oh, how I miss my warm and cosy stable and running around freely in my paddock and my expensive treats and pampering given to me by my owner..."

The horse that stood next to him, a female or mare, responded to this in a huff.

"Huh! Yeah right, pal," she cheekily responded. "I didn't get that sort of treatment myself. All I ever faced was abuse, assault and torment from those evil, cruel, greedy, wretched humans."

Henry looked at her with surprised eyes. "Did you?" he inquired. The mare nodded.

"But I thought those humans were sympathetic, friendly and caring to us animals," he said. "My owners were to me and my four stablemates."

"Not these ones that I had encountered," replied the mare, "They weren't sympathetic at all. They just wanted to hunt us for something, perhaps our meat or coats. And as a result, I completely lost my entire herd."

Henry was shocked. "Do you mean they were hunting you to become richer and richer?" he asked.

"Whatever," said the mare, "And then one day, while I was grazing alone on some grass, I was struck by some sort of instinct to go somewhere and here I am. I don't know what made me come here but..."

"Really?" Henry said, "Well when I was talking to a sheep that lived next door to my paddock, I blanked out and felt like I had to go somewhere and well, here I am too."

"So you must've been led to here by that same mysterious instinct as well?" said the mare. Henry nodded.

"Apparently so," he said. "By the way, my name's Henry. What's yours?"

"Beatrice," replied the mare. "I am the last surviving member of a herd of horses. As I have said before, the other members of my herd were hunted by those uncaring humans."

"But my owner was so kind and caring to me," said Henry, "In fact, he's too caring to even do such a thing to me or my stablemates."

Beatrice frowned and said, "You don't understand how much those humans have wounded me, Henry. They have taken everything away from me, and now I'm wondering if that guy over there and his seven minions are going to kill us too."

Henry looked at the guy and the other seven humans (three men and four women) as they were sorting through the food for the animals.

"Doesn't look like it," said Henry. "They're only going to feed us."

Beatrice only turned her nose up in disdain and refused to listen. Henry tried to comfort her.

"Look," he said, "I'm sure those eight humans aren't going to hurt us. And besides, you're away from the marauding humans that you've encountered before coming here."

Then he turned to think of himself as she lied down. "But it's just me that's lost all the comforts too. If you've lost your herd, I've lost the luxuries of my pampering and expensive treats that I enjoyed so much..."

Then he sighed and lowered his head, saddened. Above the horses, upon a shelf-like construction, Oddball and Archer the four-winged birds, Riley the long-tailed pterosaur and a female beside him were sitting wondering where they were.

"Okay, what started all this confusion before we ended up in this place," said Oddball.

"I don't know," replied Archer. "It was very strange. First thing I can remember us doing was staring at the 'dry land boat', and then the next thing we blanked out, and here we are."

"Tell us about it," said Riley as he was also looking around confused. The female next to him only looked at him agreeing with this and went back to sleep. Then Oddball looked over the edge of the 'nest shelf' and saw the two horses below her and Archer, one of which was complaining and mumbling about its comforts. Oddball became curious.

"Excuse me, Archer," she said gently and climbed out of her nest, walked towards the edge and glided down from there and perched onto a wooden construction enclosing the two horses. She watched Henry (who was doing the muttering) babble on about his comfortable stable and paddock and how he missed them, his owners and his expensive treats his leading owner often gave him. When he looked up and saw the four-winged bird perched on the enclosure's fence looking at him with piercing eyes, he nearly jumped.

"What do you want, you ugly looking bird?" he asked startled. "Are you going to turn me into dinner?"

Oddball frowned at the horse and spoke up sternly. "No, I wasn't going to do that, horse," she replied, "And besides, I don't hunt horses or elephants. My food is primarily small birds, insects and rodents, collectively called critters."

Then Oddball turned and looked up at a few pairs of small birds across another shelf and sighed.

"I don't feel like eating them anyway for some strange reason," she groaned. Then she turned back to Henry.

"So, I assume you've been having a mutter about some comfortable life, eh?" Oddball inquired. Henry looked back at her with confused eyes.

"I... er... was only talking to myself," he said timidly. "It... It's..."

"Well, I overheard what you said, horse," said Oddball with a cheeky smile. "Apparently you've been living with humans that gave you care and affection and spoilt you, right?"

Henry only groaned as he tried to deny it. "It's none of your business, ugly bird," he said with a frown. "I was just talking about my former life with humans in a town, that's all, and how they were kind, loving and caring..."

Beatrice only sighed and turned round when she heard this. Oddball also frowned.

"Do you honestly think that all humans were like that, horse?" she asked severely.

"My name's Henry," said Henry.

"Okay, Henry," said Oddball. "Do you honestly THINK that every human was like that?"

Henry didn't know what to say in reply to this, so he just shook his head.

"Well, let me tell you of my experiences, and the experiences of two elephants I know," said Oddball seriously.

"Before we were lured here by some sort of instinctive urge," she explained, "I had a brother named Quadwing whom I lived with, but now he's gone thanks to those selfish humans. The same sort of thing has happened to an elephant's herd; a group of marauding humans have assaulted them by throwing rocks at the group and wounding some of them. In one assault the male elephant lost his leading matriarch alongside some of the other elephants. Furthermore, I know a female elephant who has lost her herd altogether because of those greedy humans and was adopted by a member of the male elephant's herd. So don't think that all humans were kind and caring to us animals, Henry, because many were not."

When Beatrice heard this, she raised her head. "I understand your point, birdie," she said in agreement. "I went through that same sort of assault by some wicked humans that took away everything from me as well. Glad there is an animal here who understands what I've been through and what loss I've suffered."

Then she gave Henry a disgusted look. This made Henry perplexed and confused, so he began to sulk. As Oddball was talking with Henry, she heard a familiar voice.

"Oddball!" it cried. At this, Oddball turned round and saw Edward and Emily looking at her with excited and relieved eyes. She jumped off the fence enclosing Henry and Beatrice, glided across the room and landed on the wooden construction enclosing the two elephants. Edward hugged her with his trunk.

"Boy, we've wondered what happened to you," he said with tears in his eyes.

"Where is your mate Archer?" asked Emily. Oddball broke the embrace with Edward and pointed to the spot where her and Archer's 'nest' was.

"On that straight thing above the horses," she replied. Edward and Emily looked to see Archer waving to them. Edward smiled and turned back to Oddball.

"And speaking of this place," she said to Edward, "Do you have any idea where we are?"

The two elephants shook their heads.

"We don't, I'm afraid," replied Emily. "All I can remember was we were with our herd staring at this 'dry land boat' and then suddenly blanking out."

"And I bet our herd would be worried about us now," said Edward concerned, "But I don't think we can leave this place... can we?"

Suddenly a voice answered this question straight away. "No you can't. You're stuck here until the floodwaters covering the earth completely recede," it said. At this, Edward, Emily and Oddball looked up to see a white dove fly down to them. It perched on the wooden fence of the elephant's enclosure next to Oddball. The three animals were surprised.

"Who are you?" asked Edward.

"I don't have a name," said the dove, "Just refer to me as Dove. And I am a male before you ask what my sex is."

Edward, Oddball and Emily only looked back at the bird with perplexed eyes. Then Edward spoke.

"Why?" he asked disappointed, "Why can't we leave this place?"

The dove folded his wings and began to explain. "You are on the Ark," he replied. "And you will remain on it until God tells us animals and those eight humans the time to come off it when the earth is completely dry."

This answer confused the two elephants and the four-winged bird all the more.

"Ark?" inquired Oddball. "What do you mean, Dove?"

"You mean that bizarre giant dry land boat that Emily, Oddball and I saw was being constructed?" asked Edward.

The Dove answered, "That 'dry land boat' you saw IS what we are on."

This turned Edward, Oddball and Emily's perplexity into startling surprise and disbelief.

"You're KIDDING!" snapped Emily. The Dove shook his head.

"It's true," he said.

"But we find that hard to believe," said Oddball. Then Edward frowned.

"Well, I guess this whole weird subject that started with that stick owning man discussing something with those three other men and four women by drawing something in the sand has just become even weirder," said the frustrated bull elephant.

"That 'stick owning man's' name is Noah," replied the Dove.

"What?" asked Edward.

"Who?" put in Emily.

"Is he the guy who..." began Oddball. The Dove nodded.

"And his three sons are called Shem, Ham and Japheth," he added, "I don't know the real names of their wives and Noah's wife so I will just simply refer to them as Mrs. Noah, Mrs. Shem and so on."

Then the Dove began to explain. "So yes, the guy you saw with the staff discussing with those three other men and four women in the first place is called Noah. The other three men are his sons Shem, Ham and Japheth and the four women are Mrs. Noah, Mrs. Shem, Mrs. Ham and Mrs. Japheth, the wives of the four men," he said. Edward, Oddball and Emily looked at him in surprise.

"Oh yes," added the Dove, "Mrs. Noah is the mother of Noah's three sons since she is Noah's wife."

"So, why was Noah having a discussion with those other seven humans whom we now know to be his three sons, three daughters-in-law and wife, and drawing something in the sand with his stick as we saw in the beginning?" asked Edward.

"Noah was discussing with his family that they were to build an Ark," explained the Dove, "and that he, they and two of every kind of animal was to board that Ark to escape the global flood that was to come and wash away all the evil humans in the world. Every single human on the entire earth was completely evil in the eyes of the LORD and all were bent on selfish things; not one of them had a single thought about God whatsoever. Noah was the only one to be righteous in God's eyes and God wanted to preserve him and his family from the global flood that He wanted to send to destroy the evil humans and animals. So God told Noah to build an Ark that was 300 cubits long, 50 cubits wide and 30 cubits high, with a 1 cubit high opening with a sloping roof on it. The Ark was to have a door on its side and have three floors. The building material of the Ark was to be cypress wood and the Ark was to be tarred inside and out to make it watertight..."

When the Dove mentioned cypress wood, Oddball was reminded of her up close investigation of the construction of the boat in one of its initial stages.

"Cypress wood?" she said aghast, "That was the same material I saw being chopped up and used during my investigation when this Ark was being constructed."

Edward nodded in agreement.

"She also saw that man who was the same guy we saw discussing with those other seven people in the beginning," he added. The Dove nodded in understanding.

"Yes, it was," he said. "That was Noah."

"And when I observed him write a note and give it to another person with a pouch of some sort, the latter read it and sniggered," said Oddball.

"I'm not surprised," said the Dove. "Those people have had that attitude towards Noah even before God called him to build this Ark, because he was not living in the way the former were living. In fact, they were even more obnoxious and unwilling to repent of their wicked ways and turn to God when they found Noah building the Ark on dry land and laughed off Noah's warnings as merely ridiculous and silly stuff. And sadly, they faced the judgement of God as soon as the door of the Ark was shut, just as they are doing even as we speak."

This saddened and horrified Edward, Emily and Oddball. Then Emily asked the Dove a question.

"So what made us want to come to this Ark and board it, then?" she asked.

"God told Noah that he was to enter the boat with his three sons, three daughters-in-law and his wife alongside two of every kind of air breathing animal and flying creature as I've said before," explained the Dove, "(but seven of certain kinds), and Noah was to gather enough food to store for us animals and for his family. But of course Noah need not go around the world catching two of every kind of animal to bring back to the Ark himself; that job was done by God Who selected two of every kind of animal that were to breed and repopulate the earth after the flood to walk or fly to the Ark and board it."

At this, Emily, Oddball and Edward were flabbergasted.

"So THAT'S how we ended up on this boat," said Edward.

"So it wasn't only us two elephants, but also Oddball, her mate and the other animals that were on this boat with us?" asked Emily.

"And speaking of those humans laughing at Noah because he was building a construction mainly designed for water far away from any water body," said Oddball, "I've heard that some of those humans were watching the gathering of the animals and their boarding it onto the Ark and were mocking Noah for that. One of my friends had observed this instead of me because I was nearly killed during my last investigation."

"They certainly were," said the Dove, "In fact, the whole process of Noah's building of the Ark to boarding it as God had ordered was a spectacle to those unrepentant people. No matter how often Noah sent warnings out to them about the impending watery judgement, those people just laughed it off every time, refusing to repent until too late."

"And what about the animals that weren't selected to go on this boat with us?" asked Edward.

"They're left to drown in the flood too," said the Dove. "The reason why God wanted to destroy them as well, I can't answer that because I don't know."

This made Edward very sad as he thought about his herd, but Emily comforted him.

"I think it's best to forget them now, Ed," she said. "They weren't selected to come onto this boat with us and that's that. We'll just have to learn to accept it."

Suddenly, the Dove heard Noah shout, "Feeding time, animals."

At this, he said to the two elephants, "I'd better return to the nest of my mate; Noah and his sons and daughters-in-law will be going around giving us food, so I'll see you soon. And Oddball, I suggest you return to your nest too."

With that, he spread his wings and flew off to return to his 'nest' where his mate was waiting. Oddball hastily returned to the nest with Archer as well just as one of Noah's sons was coming around with food for Edward, Emily and the animals nearby them.

"I finally understand what the purpose of the bizarre boat was at last, thanks to the Dove," said Edward in narration. "And now I know the reason why Noah had to build this huge vessel to save himself and his family and all us animals selected by God to board the boat with him and to repopulate the earth after we come off it. However, we didn't know how long we would be on it but we knew that we will not come off this boat until the floodwaters outside are fully receded..."

Elsewhere on the boat, Torpedo and Pippa the penguins, as well as some others near and around them, were also confused and were wondering what had happened to them. They have already been given their food and were now eating. Torpedo was terrified especially.

"(Moan), I may be old enough to fend for myself now," he said timidly, "but I'm not sure where we are."

Pippa looked around and noticed a familiar face looking at them with an awful expression from over the fence bordering the two penguins' enclosure. It was Marvin. Torpedo looked at him and growled.

"YOU!" he hissed fiercely and angrily, "You're still intent on turning us into dinner?"

Pippa also looked at Marvin angrily. Then the sail-backed lizard just sighed and angrily shook his head discouraged.

"I wouldn't hesitate to get my teeth into you if I had the appetite, penguin," he retorted. "But I just don't have the desire to eat you. I wonder why..."

Then he jumped back down onto the floor. Another sail-backed lizard, a female, came up to him while she was eating.

"Maybe we're under some sort of appetite restraint to prevent us from eating other animals," she said with a mouthful of meat. "I've heard a pair of falcons above us complaining about not finding a pair of mice appealing to eat."

Marvin looked at her with frustrated and saddened eyes. Then a familiar voice said, "You're not on your own, Marvin. We don't feel like eating other animals either."

Marvin turned and saw Storm looking over the fence bordering the sail-backed lizards' enclosure on the other side.

"Storm," said Marvin with happy relief. "You're here too!"

Then Storm began to ponder. "I just somehow felt that this was the place to go because it was safer. I had an eerie feeling that something was going to happen and suddenly had an urge to fly onto this... thing..."

"Well at least you're safe from those greedy two-legged moneybags," said another pterosaur, a male of her kind, who was with her. "I lost my previous mate and eggs to a group of pesky hunters who were out hunting just days before ending up here."

"Moneybags?" inquired Storm.

"I mean humans," said the male pterosaur. "It's a long story, but all some seem to think about is becoming rich."

"It's what humans use in trading," explained Marvin. "But it seems that some had the desire to have more of the things used in trading and became greedy for them. By the way, where's Jaws?"

"You mean that giant millipede?" asked the male pterosaur. Marvin nodded.

"Well if he's been lured here, too," said the male pterosaur, "He'll be elsewhere on this thing but not near us."

Marvin sighed with disappointment and went back to his meal. Elsewhere, Cammie, Stomp and Ida were eating their meals. They were in two more enclosures side by side. With Cammie was a male giraffe who was to be the former's mate.

"You know," said Stomp, "I wonder if a fully grown member of Ida's and my kind would be able to fit on here."

"I doubt it," said Ida, "Our kind is colossal when fully grown."

"But why is there two of apparently every other animal seemingly in this same place?" asked Stomp as he looked around the room at other animals.

"I think they're to mate and produce offspring to refill the earth after we come off this thing," said Cammie. Stomp and Ida turned and looked at the giraffe with surprised eyes.

"Refill the earth?" asked Stomp.

"What do you mean by that?" inquired Ida.

"A dove told me that there is two of every kind of animal in the world that was selected by the One Who created us and the humans in His image to come and board this boat," explained Cammie.

"A boat?" asked Stomp, "What do you mean a boat?"

"Chosen by the One who created us animals?" added Ida, "I don't get it."

"Oh, it's complicated," sighed Cammie unable to explain what the dove (who was the same bird that explained to Edward, Emily and Oddball the whole story earlier) had told her. The male giraffe with her looked at her.

"I guess that means you're to be my mate when we come off this thingamajig," he said without doubt.

"Why do you think I knew that? I'm the only surviving female of our kind," replied Cammie. "There's no other cow giraffe around now and we have no choice."

Her future mate just smiled and went back to eating. Cammie did the same. In another area of the Ark, Jaws the giant millipede was also looking around in the hopes of finding his friends Marvin and Storm.

"Oh, I hope they're okay," he said concerned. Then he looked down at the female millipede that had travelled with him to the boat. She was asleep. Jaws sighed and went back to eating the meal he had been given. Then a man (one of Noah's sons) walked past and looked at him and the female millipede over the fence for a few seconds and then went and checked on the next pair of animals. Jaws watched the guy curiously.

"Who is that?" he asked himself as he looked hard at the man and then he turned indignant, thinking he was one of the greedy humans.

"Is he going to use this zoo to attract visitors to make a lot of money like some of the other humans did?" he angrily asked himself in suspicion.

"There are no visitors to come and look at us; all the other humans that have not boarded this boat thingy have died out there," answered a wolf-like creature next door to Jaws' enclosure. "That guy is one of Noah's sons and he's just checking on us to see how we're doing. Haven't you been listening to the dove?"

Jaws was confused. "What dove?" he asked.

"A dove explained to us about how we came here and why we boarded this boat thingy," said the wolf creature. "Were you asleep or something?"

Jaws just looked back at the wolf confused.

"I don't understand," said the millipede. "Are we..."

"Oh, just forget it," snapped the wolf in annoyance and went back to eating its meal with its future mate. Jaws looked at the pair of dog-like creatures and sighed.

Elsewhere on the Ark again, on the top floor, one of the women was still going around feeding the animals on that deck. While she was doing this, Clawson the cat, who was still shaken from the confusing ordeal of mysteriously ending up on the Ark, was groaning.

"Oh, I don't want this meat," he moaned. Another cat that was with him, a female, responded to this comment in disgust.

"You have to eat it, Clawson," she said, "It's the only food we're going to be provided."

"But I want to eat meat straight from an antelope or other prey," moaned Clawson, "I don't want to eat meat that's been handled by human hands; I want to eat meat fresh from a prey animal that I or another cat in a group has brought down."

"Well, that's tough," replied the female cat, "we just don't have the appetite to kill and eat an antelope or any other prey we naturally eat. The only meat we're provided for as long as we're on this thing is the meat those eight humans have stored up for us."

Clawson moaned and reluctantly went back to eating his meal. Next door to him, Sickle-Claw the theropod (who has instinctively joined the migration of animals to the Ark in the previous chapter) was moaning about the same subject of being unable to eat meat straight from a brought-down animal.

"Oooh, some of those animals sure look delicious," moaned the reptile, "but I just don't feel like killing and eating them. Oh, I wish I could..."

Another theropod that was with him, a female, agreed.

"Tell me about it," she replied disappointed, "I don't know why though, but I think it's to protect the other animals from certain wiping out if we were allowed to kill and eat them..."

"Protect the other animals from certain wiping out?" questioned Sickle-Claw.

"I think we all may be the last animals of our kinds..." moaned the female theropod with a horrible thought. "I haven't seen any other individuals like us except you on this thing when I looked over that thing enclosing us at the other animals, so it must be true that we are the last living pair of our kind alive..."

Sickle-Claw was agape in horror when he heard this.

"Does that mean we're to... um... produce more of our... kind...?" he stuttered. The female theropod looked at him angrily and nodded.

Then a sheep's voice called to them from the enclosure bordering the theropods' enclosure on the other side.

"To answer your question, reptile meat-bucket, yes we are the last of our kinds; each and every pair of us," it said. Sickle-Claw and the female theropod looked up and saw a ram look down on them with a frown of disgust. It was Milo. Sickle-Claw looked at him as though he wanted to eat him but felt severely held back and restrained.

"Oooh, you look delicious," moaned the theropod. "I wish I could have you for my next meal but I just don't feel like jumping on you and bringing you down..."

"That's because you're under restraint by the One Who created all things for His pleasure and the humans in His image," explained Milo. "It's to prevent you carnivorous vermin from killing and eating prey like us sheep and bring us to extinction. The Dove explained that to me when I and my ewe were confused."

Sickle-Claw looked back at him with confused eyes.

"Extinction?" he probed.

"He means wiping out of the last pair of animals such that there is none left to reproduce and propagate that pair's kind," explained the female theropod. "So what I deduced must be right."

Sickle-Claw then climbed up onto the fence and looked over Milo's border into the next enclosure bordering Milo and his ewe's pen. He saw several other sheep and a few doves and pigeons.

"Why do you have several more members of your kind on this thing?" asked Sickle-Claw indignantly. Milo, annoyed at the theropod's nosey behaviour, butted the fence with his head and knocked Sickle-Claw back into his enclosure.

"Nose out, you meat eating pest!" snapped Milo angrily as he did it. "You'll frighten the sheep. Why there are few more individuals of our kind with me and my ewe I don't know. The Dove didn't explain to me why. But just keep your filthy flesh eating teeth in your own space; both of you!"

And with that, he jumped down and joined his ewe with the meal. Sickle-Claw was taken aback by Milo's attitude towards him.

"What a grouchy woolly horned beast!" he said angrily as he was about to return to finishing off his meal with the female theropod, "treating me and speaking to me like that. I was only curious."

"I don't think he likes us meat eaters," said the female theropod warily. "We're a potential threat to him and his future mate. I think we should do as he says."

Sickle-Claw reluctantly agreed and went back to finishing off his meal.

"I'll be glad when we're away from that woolly horned beast by the time we get off this thing," he muttered disdainfully. "He's just so grouchy and threatening."

The female theropod only sighed, annoyed with him. Then the time came for the animals to enter their next period of hibernation while Noah and his family were up to their business of serving the LORD and their daily routine.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

**Back outside the Ark: the floodwaters continue to rise and cover the tallest mountain peaks **

Back outside the Ark, the rains were still coming down heavily from the charcoal black skies while fountains of water continued to spew violently from deep within the earth through fissures that had opened everywhere on the globe. It has been two weeks since the rains had started and Noah's boarding of the Ark and still the rains were pouring violently from the black skies and everywhere was as very dark due to all the thick black clouds almost completely blocking the sun. Lightning flashed in terrifyingly huge bolts in the skies, lighting up the flooded earth in split-second blinks, while thunder rumbled as loud as a huge herd of stampeding animals. The floodwaters were by now many times deeper than they were a week ago. All the houses and lowlands have been covered by tens of metres of water. Huge waves were sweeping across the stormy waters as huge winds blew across the surface of the floodwaters. Under the water, sediment was violently whipped up by the strong currents of the floodwaters like silt in a lake and began to pile on many fish and other aquatic animals, burying them alive, while many of the buildings of deserted towns and villages were ripped from their foundations as though they were toy buildings. On the higher ground that was yet to be flooded, crowds of people and animals continued screaming and running uphill for their lives to escape the rising floodwaters. The extremely heavy rain and darkness was making things very difficult for them as the ground was often very slippery due to being oversaturated with so much water. Some of the huge animals began to slide downhill and cause chaos as they crushed anything smaller than their body volume while all the other animals and humans continued to struggle against the slippery slopes. As they were climbing up the hills, every human seemed to be focussed on saving himself without a care for anyone else. Some had gold, silver, their statues and other highly valuable possessions with them stuffed into huge bags and when some lost some of the valuables, they tried desperately to find and repack them but without much difficulty because of the heavy rains, stampeding animals and other humans fleeing uphill. Lightning flashed and lit up the fleeing humans and animals as they continued to run up the hills while huge waves from the floodwaters splashed violently against the hills behind them. Some humans even tried praying to their imaginary gods that they will stop the heavy rains and the rising floodwaters but still the floodwaters continued to rise and engulf the ground. Some of the humans were weeping and wailing, severely regretting their unrepentant attitude towards Noah when he sent messages out to them warning them about the incoming watery judgement of God but there was nothing they can do about it now; they were doomed with absolute certainty without a doubt. Others, however, were weeping and wailing about the nonstop rains and violent floodwaters, which still continued to increase rapidly in depth. Despite the violent waves and turbulent waters, the Ark was still intact (held together by the One Who had commanded Noah to build it and then to board it with his family and two of every kind of air-breathing land animal (seven in some)). It rose and fell with every huge wave that swept along.

"I can imagine that those people who refused to listen to the warnings from Noah about the impending judgement of God must have behaved like the extremely frightened and panicked animals as they ran up the hills to escape the rising floodwaters," narrated Edward the elephant. "But I can also imagine that their attempts to escape their fate of drowning in the waters were in vain and futile. Meanwhile, on the Ark, we were kept safe alongside Noah and his three sons, three daughters-in-law and wife because God was watching over us and had not forgotten about us at all."

Another two weeks have passed and the floodwaters were still rapidly increasing in depth. A lot of the humans and land animals have drowned in the rising floodwaters and their corpses were buried in sediment whipped up by the super strong currents of the waters. The few that were left continued to ascend up even taller hills and small mountains in an attempt to escape drowning, but they, too will eventually be swallowed up by the rising waters. Under the water, the sea animals were desperately trying to escape rising and falling debris kicked up by the violent water currents. Fish, dolphins, whales, plesiosaurs, turtles, seals and all the other mostly to completely aquatic animals were madly swimming around looking for shelter to escape the currents of the raging waters and floating debris. Some of the small fish had managed to find shelter in hollow logs of what were once trees while other fish, along with the large air breathing swimming animals, were rapidly swimming in certain directions in search of waters that were less dangerous. Some of the aquatic creatures, however, were not so fortunate and were killed and/or buried by whipped up sediment. The rains continued for another week and five days and by now the flood waters were so deep that even the peaks of the tallest mountains were submerged by a few metres (seven to be accurate) from the waters' surface. As the floodwaters rose to this depth, they drowned the last humans and land animals alive that had sought these highest areas of land. The bodies of these humans and animals were buried in sediment along with the rest of the bodies that the floodwaters had engulfed and drowned earlier.

**The rains stop and the fountains of the deep are shut**

It has been forty days since Noah had boarded the Ark and the rains had begun but now the rains have stopped and the dark clouds began to disperse. The fountains that had spewed from under the earth (the fountains of the deep) had been shut. However, the surface of the floodwaters was still less than ten metres above the tallest mountains' peaks. As a result, there was no visible land anywhere on the globe; the entire globe has been turned into a water world. The peaks of the tallest mountains remained submergedfor another 110 days.

"We have been on the Ark for about 150 days now," narrated Edward, "as one of the members of Noah's family (or perhaps Noah himself) has been counting the days while we were hibernating. We knew for certain that all those humans and land animals out there will have been drowned by now, but we had no idea what the world looked like because the Ark's decks on which we resided had no windows. And believe me, I can't believe the sheer patience Noah had all this time..."

Then the One Who had sent the flood to cover the whole earth sent a wind to start the receding of the waters. On the Ark, the animals were awake once again and were being fed and cared for by Noah's sons, wife and daughters-in-law. Henry was enjoying the food he and Beatrice were given by one of Noah's sons' wives.

"This is better than the expensive treats my former owner has given me before I was led to here," he said delightfully. "I love it."

"Yeah, and I was wrong about those eight humans before," said Beatrice as she munched on a piece of fruit. "They're apparently nothing like any of the humans I have encountered in my life."

Above the horses, Archer and Oddball were eating their meat.

"At least we don't have to worry about chasing insects and birds for now," said Oddball.

"I guess so," said Archer. "By the way, do you have any idea when we are going to get off this thing? I really want to go out there and stretch my wings..."

Then the Dove flew in having heard this and perched on the shelf's edge in front of Oddball and Archer's 'nest'.

"I'm afraid that's not going to happen," he said sadly, "until God tells us the time to come off this Ark."

Archer frowned with disappointment. "But we've been on this thing for weeks now and I'm really starting to lose patience," he retorted angrily.

"How long has it been since we entered this boat?" asked Oddball.

"150 days," replied the Dove. "One of Noah's family members has been counting the days since they entered the Ark after us as God ordered them."

"150 days!?" snapped Oddball astonished.

"Well, I REALLY want to get out there and taste some fresh air now," said Archer impatiently. "Plus I really want to stretch my wings."

"I just told you before we will not leave this Ark until it's time," replied the Dove annoyingly. Then Riley, who was in a 'nest' next to Oddball and Archer, turned to them.

"Have you seen erm... Norman or whoever it is..." he said.

"Noah," said the Dove correcting him.

"That's it," said Riley, "I haven't heard him complain one bit. So something tells me that he's..."

"He's a very patient man," said the Dove. "In fact he's got more patience than I thought. He's a devout follower of his God. So are his seven remaining family members."

Archer frowned indignantly at this true statement. "Well, if he's patient I'm not," he said. "I just want to be out there gliding around and stretching my wings..."

"I'm afraid I agree with the Dove," said Oddball. "The earth may by now be covered with water as far as the eye can see. If you were to go out there now, you could end up tired and could fall into the water and drown."

"She's absolutely right, Archer," put in the Dove, "the earth may still be flooded with no land anywhere in sight, so I'm afraid you're going to stay here until God tells us the time to leave the boat along with Noah and his family."

Archer was reluctant to accept this true statement, so he just turned round and sat in the nest. Oddball looked at the Dove.

"I wish he could learn a lesson from Noah, Dove," she said sympathetically.

"Yes, so do I, Oddball," replied the Dove. "Patience is a very important life skill especially in situations like these."

Then he said, "Anyway, I'd better return to my mate. I can see that Mrs. Shem is about to feed us and the animals around us."

With that he took off and returned to his nest with the female dove. Oddball looked at Archer and sighed. Later the animals were eating away at their meals on all three decks while Noah and his family were preparing their own food. Suddenly the boat jerked forward, nearly knocking Noah's sons and some of the animals over or off the shelves. Some of the food cooking in a cauldron over a fire was spilt onto the floor but fortunately Noah's wife caught it in time before the cauldron nearly fell completely over. Edward and Emily, who were busily eating some provided leaves, were alerted by this move.

"What was that?" asked Emily.

"I don't know, but I think we've hit something," said Edward. In another part of the Ark, Clawson and the female cat were also alerted by the move. Clawson's wonder turned into delight.

"I think we've hit dry land," said Clawson with excitement. "I think it's..."

"Clawson," said the female cat, "the earth may still be covered with water. It's still not the time for us to leave this boat thingy."

At this, Clawson's ears drooped as he was disappointed. "Oh, great," he muttered. "That means even more weeks spent on this thing, right?"

"Maybe," said the female cat. "I just don't know."

Clawson sighed again and went back to eating. The lurch of the Ark was caused by its landing on some mountain peaks. The floodwaters have begun to recede. However, the mountain peaks were still submerged under the floodwaters and Noah knew that it was still not the time to leave the Ark because of this.

**The floodwaters start to recede**

Two and a half months later, the peaks of the mountains began to peer through the floodwaters' surface as the floodwaters continued to recede. The Ark has come to rest on some mountains (of Ararat). Though the mountain peaks were now visible, the floodwaters were still very deep. On the Ark, the animals were back in their hibernation mode while Noah was praying to the LORD. Then after another forty days, the animals were awake once again being fed and cared for by Noah's family as usual. However, some of the animals were asleep as they continued to wait until the time to come off the Ark. Riley the long-tailed pterosaur was talking with the Dove.

"What will we be doing once we come off this boat, anyway?" he asked.

"When the time comes for us to do that," replied the Dove, "we will be having offspring to repopulate the earth... lots of them. Noah and his family will be having lots of babies too because obviously all the wicked humans have been wiped out in the flood by the Holy Judge."

"But I don't have that urge to have that many baby pterosaurs," said Riley.

"It's because it's not the right time," said the Dove. "The same is true for Noah and his family. They have not been having kids since they boarded the Ark after us."

"There probably wouldn't be enough food for offspring, anyway," said Riley. "Norman only..."

"Noah," corrected the Dove.

"Noah only needed to store up enough food for us and for his family for as long as we're on the Ark, wouldn't he?" said Riley.

"That's a possible reason," said the Dove. Then the female long-tailed pterosaur woke up having heard this conversation.

"I heard what you've said, Riley," she said quite offended. The Dove turned to her.

"Well, it's a true fact," he said, "but it will not happen until we leave this Ark when God tells us so."

While they were talking, Oddball got the Dove's attention.

"What's Noah up to?" she asked. The Dove turned and watched Noah have a raven flutter onto his arm.

"I think he's going to have the raven do something," he said, "But I'm not sure..."

Then he flew over to the raven to ask what Noah wants with him. A few minutes later, the Dove came back.

"Noah wants to send the raven out to see if the waters are receding," he said. Oddball, Riley and the female pterosaur were delighted. Archer jumped to attention also.

"So he's finally decided to see if there is dry land, eh," said Archer impatiently.

"Archer, don't get excited," said Oddball trying to calm him. "But we'll find out."

Archer sighed indignantly and lied back down in the nest. The Dove shook his head with a frown.

"His lack of patience really is starting to drive me around the wing," he said annoyingly.

"He's been like this for days now," said Oddball in agreement. Then she watched Noah take the raven out of the room to the deck above it. Two decks above Oddball and some of the others' residence, Sickle-Claw was looking over the fence at the other animals. He had not been bothering Milo next door to his enclosure since backing down from the ram's threatening attitude. While he was doing that, Clawson caught sight of him.

"I knew you might have been chosen to come onto this boat thingy, reptile," said the cat angrily. "Don't tell me you've been bothering other animals, haven't you?"

Sickle-Claw didn't answer, however and just ignored him. Clawson frowned and grunted, before returning to the female cat's side. A moment after he did that, Sickle-Claw saw Noah walk past with a raven on his shoulder.

"What's that guy doing with that black bird?" he asked. He watched as Noah went to an opening he had opened and put his arms and head through it with the raven. Sickle-Claw raised an eyebrow. Then a minute later, only Noah was standing at the opening; the raven had been released outside the boat.

"What's he done to that black bird?" asked Sickle-Claw.

"He's released that bird to see if the floodwaters have receded, theropod," said a voice above him. Sickle-Claw turned and looked up at a huge dragonfly staring down at him with its compound eyes. It was Buzzy, one of Riley's friends (Riley and Archer seemed to have forgotten about him).

"Floodwaters?" probed Sickle-Claw and then he turned bored.

"I wonder how long we've been on this thing now..." he moaned.

"Since we've been sleeping for much of the journey," replied Buzzy, "I can't say."

Then many minutes later Noah walked past Sickle-Claw and left the room. Sickle-Claw looked on as he went down to the next deck below.

"Well, I guess he's become bored of waiting for the raven to return," said the theropod jumping to conclusions.

"I doubt it," replied Buzzy. Back on the lower deck, the Dove, Oddball and Riley were still talking about what they will be doing after the animals come of the Ark.

"Well, I'll be looking forward to seeing Edward and Emily having calves of their own when we leave this place," said Oddball with a smile.

"Yeah, and I bet they'll be having lots and lots of them," said Riley.

"You will be doing when we leave this Ark," said the Dove. Just then they heard footsteps approach them. The Dove, Oddball and Riley looked and saw Noah looking around for something. Henry the horse (who was below the birds and pterosaurs) also saw Noah looking around.

"Where's the raven?" asked the horse. The Dove found that the raven was missing.

"I don't know," he said and flew off to see what Noah wanted. Oddball, Riley and Henry watched as Noah caught sighted of the Dove and took him into his hands. Then he left with the Dove to the uppermost deck.

"I think the raven's found dry land somehow," said Henry when he saw Noah leave with the Dove.

"Do you think he's releasing the birds then?" asked Riley. At this, Archer jumped to attention when he heard this.

"Well, sounds like it's time to leave this thing then," he said excitedly and immediately took off after Noah before Oddball could tell him. Back on the uppermost deck, Sickle-Claw was still looking over his enclosure's fence when he saw Noah walk by with the Dove. At this, Sickle-Claw became curious.

"The Dove now?" he said curiously, "What does he want the Dove for?"

He watched Noah as he leaned through the opening with the Dove and set him free. Sickle-Claw frowned.

"I wonder if he's releasing the doves now," he said to himself. Suddenly a four-winged bird glided up a ramp leading to the next deck below and flew past Sickle-Claw, much to his surprise. It was Archer from the lowermost deck. He saw Noah looking out the window observing the Dove and attempted to fly towards the opening in the hopes of flying free, but he flew headfirst right into the face of one of Noah's sons Shem! Shem fell on his back as Archer smacked into his face. Sickle-Claw jumped when he saw the accident.

"What..." spluttered Shem in shock and then he looked at the four-winged bird and frowned.

"What are you doing up here, you naughty bird?" he asked Archer and began to carry him back to where he had come from. "You know you're to stay with your mate..."

He left the room down to the lower deck. Sickle-Claw shook his head in annoyance.

"What does that long tailed bird think he is?" he said to himself, "One of the Dove's friends?"

Buzzy, who had also seen the four-winged bird, was astonished.

"That was Archer, one of my friends," he said excitedly. Sickle-Claw was curious and raised an eyebrow. Buzzy looked back at him.

"It's none of your business, theropod," he said trying to keep things private. Sickle-Claw sighed.

"No-one seems to like me these days," he muttered. Then he turned his attention back to Noah. A few minutes later, Noah had brought the Dove back in and was now taking him back to the lower deck. Sickle-Claw watched him walk past.

"I think the Dove has changed his mind unlike the raven," he said to Buzzy.

"You THINK!?" snapped Buzzy annoyed. Sickle-Claw only looked at him. Back on the lowermost deck, Oddball was angrily reasoning with a sulking Archer (who had been put back into the nest by Shem).

"What has the Dove told us about our time to leave this Ark?" she said angrily. Archer just ignored her and continued to sulk.

"Yeah, Arch," put in Riley, "Your lack of patience really is causing a lot of nuisance."

Archer ignored him as well and only let loose a sigh. Then Oddball saw Noah put the Dove back onto the nest with his mate and left. Oddball was about to fly to him but Riley stopped her.

"Do you want one of Noah's family members putting you back here as well?" he said. The Dove, however, flew over to Oddball and Riley.

"Well," said Oddball, "What's the report? Have the floodwaters gone yet?"

"The mountain peaks have become visible," replied the Dove, "and it has stopped raining and the sun is peering through the clouds. But unfortunately, there is no dry land other than the mountain peaks. There is still water as far as the eye can see. As for the raven, he's still busily flying around on the wind currents on the search for dry land."

"Is it time to leave the Ark yet?" asked Riley. The Dove shook his head. When he did so, Archer looked at him angrily.

"Oh, great," he muttered, "Then that means we're on this boat thingy for much longer, are we?"

"Noah is going to have me fly around again in seven days time," said the Dove, "But to answer your question, it's still not time to come off the Ark."

Archer slammed his wing claw down on the side of the nest in impatience. The Dove became very cross.

"You're going to stop this, Archer," he said rebuking the four-winged bird. Archer did so and lied down in the nest. Oddball sighed.

"Oh, I think we'll all be glad when we come of this boat," she said. The Dove nodded in agreement and left for his nest. Edward, who had also been watching Noah come for the raven and then the Dove (and also Archer's attempt to follow Noah and fly out of the boat), was wondering.

"Looks like the earth is still too flooded to be habitable," he said to Emily disappointed. Emily frowned at him.

"I just hope that Archer over there will show a bit of patience," she said annoyed. Edward looked at Archer and sighed. Then he went and lied down.

"It has been well over 200 days since we have boarded the Ark now," said Edward in narration, "And some of us were becoming more and more impatient and eager to come off this boat. However, to our disappointment, the Dove reported that the earth was still flooded with no visible land anywhere in sight and we knew what that meant; more days on this boat as it was still not time to leave it yet..."

Soon it was time for the animals to go into hibernation again and Noah has decided to send the Dove out a second time after seven days. As the animals were settling down for their sleep, Nelson the mouse (who had also been led to board the Ark with a female mouse) was watching Noah talk with his family.

"Boy, I wonder what that guy's been up to this whole time," the mouse said in wonder to himself. While he was watching Noah and his family have their evening meal of the day, the female mouse came up to him.

"Nelson, what are you still doing up?" she asked.

"I'm just watching those eight humans over there, Josephine," replied Nelson. The female mouse just sighed and told Nelson to return to their 'nest'. As they were walking back to their nest, Nelson began talking with Josephine about their past life of hoarding food into their burrow (which would have been destroyed in the floodwaters by now).

"You know something, Jo," said Nelson nostalgically, "I miss our pack's activities of gathering and hoarding food into our burrow. We haven't been doing that for ages now since we found ourselves on this water thing."

"Well what's the point of stealing food and storing it for ourselves when it is already provided, Nelson?" inquired Josephine. "We already have it provided for us and we'll still be fed until we come off this water thing."

Nelson only sighed and continued back to the nest.

"I'll be glad to get back in gathering our own food when we come off of this thing anyway and begin having pups of our own," he said disappointed.

"I guess so," replied Josephine knowing about that fact. Then the two mice went back to their nest.

**A definite sign of dry land appearing**

Seven days later, the animals were up once again ready for their next feeding episode as usual. Noah and his family were also up to their daily routine of praying to God and caring for the animals. Mrs. Noah and her three daughters-in-law (her sons' wives) were up to the task of preparing and sorting the food for this huge zoo. While they were doing that, Oddball, Edward and Emily were talking with the Dove about what the animals will be doing once they leave the Ark when the earth was finally dry.

"Besides reproducing and repopulating the earth," said Oddball, "I think some of us will be bounding and flying happily when we come off this Ark to be released to reproduce."

"You will do that when we leave this boat as I've said before," replied the Dove. "In fact, I've been discussing with my mate that once I have found somewhere to make a nest, we will be starting our new lives together ourselves and having a BIG family of chicks, but that's only if the earth is dry enough to do so."

"I've been having that same discussion with Emily," said Edward, "about us starting our own herd together. We really want to have our first calves and Emily will be the matriarch of our herd."

"Absolutely," said Emily who was looking forward to it. "And I'm sure Noah and his sons are looking forward to having children when they come off this Ark as well."

"Not until God gives the go ahead, Emily," said the Dove with a smile. Suddenly, the four animals heard Noah call for the Dove. The Dove turned round and saw Noah looking for him.

"I have to see Noah now," he said, "He'll be wanting to send me out again to see if there is any sign of visible land above the receding floodwaters."

And with that, he took off and flew to Noah. Noah happily took him into his hands and left for the upper deck. Emily sighed as she watched him leave with the Dove.

"I hope Archer isn't going to..." she began when suddenly she, Edward and Oddball saw Archer glide from his 'nest' in an attempt to follow Noah and escape the Ark to freedom like before the previous week. However, he didn't get very far when Riley jumped after him and flew into his path to block him, resulting in Archer colliding with his pterosaur friend and fall onto the floor with him. When Archer recovered, he became very angry with Riley.

"What were you trying to do, you clumsy reptilian bat!?" he shouted.

"It's not our time to leave this boat thingy yet," retorted Riley. "I really wish you'd stop being so impatient!"

"But I've been on this thing for long enough!" shouted Archer, "And I want off this thing RIGHT NOW!"

"Archer, you stop this temper tantrum this MINUTE!" shouted Edward angrily. At this, Archer shut his beak and looked at the elephant surprised.

"Throwing a paddy like that is not going to change things," said Edward more calmly. "You are just going to have to wait until God says when it is time for us to come off this Ark."

Archer, knowing that Edward was right, reluctantly went and climbed back to his nest. Riley followed him. As Archer passed by the two horses, Henry shook his head at him in annoyance.

"You know you're not helping the other animals, bird," he said, "Certainly not yourself."

Archer just gave him an angry look and returned to his nest. Then Beatrice came up to Henry's side.

"You know something, Beatrice," said Henry with a sigh, "I have learnt a lot since we woke up to find ourselves on this boat for the first time."

"Really?" said Beatrice, "Like what?"

"That not all humans were kind and caring as I once thought," explained Henry, "And that patience is a crucial life skill."

"Well, it is," said Beatrice, "It is an important life skill. Impatience can often lead to selfish actions to satisfy one's desires that can harm others around the impatient person as well as himself."

Henry nodded in agreement. Then he lied down.

"You know, when we come off this boat," he said with delight, thinking about the animals' future life after their departure from the Ark, "I would love to run around in the open space again and feel the breeze flow through my mane and tail..."

"Have you ever thought about having foals?" asked Beatrice. Henry looked at her wide-eyed.

"Foals?" he inquired. Beatrice lied down next to him.

"Haven't you heard what the Dove told us that when we leave this boat," she explained, "We're to reproduce and fill the earth remember? Why do you think Noah had to take two of every kind of animal onto here?"

Henry only looked at her. Then a while later, Noah returned with the Dove; they appeared onto the deck. The Dove flew from Noah and joined his mate while Noah, who was smiling, looked at a branch and left to see his wife. Edward saw the branch in Noah's hand as the Dove flew to him and Emily.

"What's that branch he's got in his hand?" asked Edward.

"That," said the Dove "is from an olive tree. I've just had my second release from the Ark and have found that the tops of many trees are peering through the surface of the floodwaters, so I took a branch of an olive tree and brought it back to Noah."

"So the floodwaters are finally receding?" asked Edward excitedly.

"Edward, don't get excited," said Emily trying to calm him down, "You'll aggravate Archer into throwing another paddy."

Edward did so and just smiled at the Dove.

"Yes they have receded," said the Dove, "But they are still too deep for us to leave the Ark and repopulate the earth, so Noah is going to wait another seven days and then he is going to send me out again to see if the earth is completely dry. If so, I will be starting my life anew once I have found a suitable spot to make a proper nest."

This statement saddened Edward and Emily. Then the Dove gave them an encouraging remark.

"Your time will come when God tells the rest of you to leave the Ark with Noah and his family," he said. "But for now, we wait another week, but it may be several more weeks before the earth is completely dry and before you leave the Ark."

"Well, I don't think it would be that long," said Edward understanding the statement. "After all, the olive tree branch that you've found is a sure sign that the earth is drying."

The Dove nodded and then returned to his mate's side. Emily came up to Edward and smiled and Edward smiled back at her.

"The olive tree branch that the Dove has found during his second search for dry land is a sure sign that the floodwaters are indeed receding," narrated Edward happily, "However it may be several more weeks before we can leave the Ark together with Noah and his family, but the Dove's finding of that tree branch was a huge encouragement particularly to Noah, whose enormous patience has paid off over the months since we entered the Ark."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

**The Dove doesn't return after his third send out**

Seven days passed and the time came for Noah to send the Dove out again to see if the floodwaters have receded more. While the animals were asleep, Noah came into the room and woke up the Dove. The Dove got up and obediently stepped into Noah's hands. Then Noah left for the upper deck with him. Oddball heard Noah pick up the Dove, so she awoke and watched him leave with the white bird. At this, she was curious and wanted to follow, but Riley, who had also woken up upon hearing Noah's footsteps on the floor, prevented her.

"Just leave the Dove alone, Oddball," he whispered firmly. "Norman's only going to send him out again to see if the earth is finally dry."

"His name is Noah," replied Oddball with a frown.

"Sorry, Noah," said Riley. Then Oddball got out of her nest and sat down beside Riley. She looked at Archer who was fast asleep.

"At least he didn't notice Noah take the Dove and leave this time," she whispered in relief. "And he's not going to like this but I think the rest of us animals are still going to wait until the earth is completely dry when our time comes to leave this boat."

"I guess so," said Riley in agreement. "But I'm starting to get agitated too. My wings could do with a stretch in the fresh air."

"How about flying around this room?" suggested Oddball.

"I meant outside of this boat thingy," said Riley. "I really want to fly out in the open for the first time in months. I'm sure you feel the same, Oddball."

Oddball only sighed at this and lied down. She had that same desire as well but didn't show it. In the elephants' enclosure, Edward was lying on his stomach staring at the floor, waiting for Noah to return with the Dove. He had also seen Noah come for the Dove and leave with him. Emily came up to him. It has been a while now since Noah has left with the Dove.

"What's taking Noah so long this time?" he asked Emily.

"Oh, try not to fret about the Dove, Edward," said Emily trying to calm him down. "Just try to be patient..."

Suddenly she was interrupted by the appearance of Buzzy the giant dragonfly, who hastily and excitedly flew down to the lower deck and perched onto the fence enclosing Edward and Emily. Emily and Emily were surprised to see the giant dragonfly on the Ark so they looked at him with wide eyes.

"Buzzy," said Emily in surprise. "I didn't know you were chosen to come onto this Ark."

"We thought you were left to die in the flood outside," said Edward, "and that another pair of dragonflies was chosen to come onto the Ark. In fact we forgot all about you."

Buzzy caught his breath and spoke up.

"I thought you'd might," he said, "since I am not on the same deck as you. But I am on the on the upper deck with another dragonfly, a female."

"What's all the excitement about?" asked Edward. Buzzy finally calmed down.

"I've just been observing Noah open the boat's covering and look out," he said excitedly, "and he said that the earth is finally drying up. You should've seen the excitement of the animals on the upper deck; we were cheering like nothing on earth at the good news."

"What became of the Dove?" asked Emily.

"He's not returned," said Buzzy. "I think he's found a spot to nest. Or something..."

At this, Edward was saddened. Just then the Dove's mate flew up and perched onto the fence next to Buzzy.

"It seems that my mate has found a tree and has started to build a proper nest," she said deducing the possible reason for the Dove's not returning. "So I guess he'll be waiting for me to join him."

"He did say that he wanted to leave the boat and start his life anew as soon as he had found a tree after Noah had sent him out," said Emily remembering what the Dove said to her and Edward, "So I guess that's what he's doing now."

"And so will I," said the female dove. "By the time the rest of us leave this boat, I will be finding my mate and we'll be having a big family."

Edward was about to say something when suddenly Shem, Ham and Japheth appeared and danced around in excitement upon hearing the news that the floodwaters were finally receding. When the animals on the deck heard this, they all cheered the place down just like the animals on the uppermost deck did. Edward covered his ears with his trunk as it was so loud. Buzzy smiled at him.

"You see," he said, "What did I tell you?"

Edward just smiled at him. Across the room, Archer woke up to the sound of the cheering.

"What's going on?" he asked Riley.

"The floodwaters have receded such that dry land has finally appeared," replied Riley. At this Archer jumped up with excitement.

"So that means we can leave this boat thingy now?" he said impatiently and hopefully.

"I don't think so," said Oddball. "We may have to wait a little longer before our time comes to leave this boat."

When Archer heard this, he grew downcast and angrily lied back down in the nest again. Oddball sighed at this in annoyance. Then she noticed the Dove missing.

"Hey, where's the Dove?" she asked.

"I think he's completely gone since the earth is dry enough for him to leave," replied Riley. "I wouldn't be surprised since that means that the trees are now fully habitable by this time."

When Oddball heard this, she was both sad and happy for the Dove.

"I'm going to miss him," she said sadly and then she lied down. Then Buzzy flew in much to Oddball's surprise and gladness.

"Buzzy!" cried Oddball in excitement. "Where have you been all this time?"

Riley jumped in and hugged him also.

"I was on the upper deck," replied Buzzy as he was being squeezed by Riley in a tight hug. "I was also wondering where you were as well."

Then Riley broke his embrace with his dragonfly friend. "We were so worried about you," he said happily and with relief.

"We thought you weren't on the Ark with us," added Oddball. Buzzy only smiled. Archer, however, was too indignant and impatient to even notice him.

"By the way," asked Oddball. "What's happened to the Dove?"

"He's completely gone Oddball," he replied, "Apparently he's found a tree and has begun to start his life over. His mate told us."

Riley smiled and said, "I thought so."

"His mate is sure that he has found a tree. But despite the fact that we're going to miss him, we now know that the earth is on its way to drying completely," said Buzzy.

"We are aware of that, Buzzy," said Riley, "And I'm sure Noah is too."

Buzzy smiled at him and nodded. Then the dragonfly said, "I'd better return to my mate on the upper floor now," he said, "She'll be wondering where I've gone."

With that he flew off and left the room while Oddball and Riley looked at each other and smiled. The animals, including those on the middle deck, were continuously cheering and jumping up and down/ flapping and doing other things in excitement that the earth was finally drying out and that their release time was drawing near.

"When we found out that the Dove has not returned to the Ark as some of us expected," narrated Edward, "we knew that the earth was indeed nearly dry and that the floodwaters had nearly receded. However, we waited for another two months before our time came to leave the Ark and reproduce..."

**Noah, his family and the animals leave the Ark**

Two months later, the time finally came for the animals, Noah and his family to leave the Ark as the earth was finally dry enough to be habitable once again. Noah was commanded by God to release all the animals and leave the boat with his family, which he did. All the animals were allowed to leave the boat and were released by Noah into the wild. Most of the animals were especially glad to be allowed to run and/or fly around in the open space again. Edward and Emily ambled towards a hill and saw the now dry land. They trumpeted and ambled happily towards the clearing, glad to be free after so long on the boat. Behind them, Oddball and Archer (especially Archer) were jumping and gliding around happily and ecstatically.

"Finally!" cried Archer with intense happiness, "We can GO FREEEEE! WHEEEEE!"

He glided around and twisted acrobatically in the air while Oddball simply ran and flew around, also glad to be released. Then Riley and the female long tailed pterosaur came gliding and flying around happily after the two four-winged birds. After them, Henry and Beatrice the horses began galloping and running around together in the clearing, neighing and screeching and glad to be free once again. Then Buzzy and his mate came flying in and buzzing around. They landed on a rock to stretch out their wings to experience the sun for the first time in months. Then Clawson and his mate the cats, and Sickle-Claw and the female theropod came walking by, followed by some other animal pairs behind them. Clawson and Sickle-Claw were too happy to be free to even confront each other, so they just ran around with their respective mates without even noticing each other's presence. The other animal pairs with them did the same. Then Marvin and his mate the sail-backed lizards came walking after them. Marvin just looked up at the clear blue sky and smiled, glad to be free again like every other animal. Behind him and his mate, Storm the short-tailed pterosaur and her mate came walking in followed by Jaws and his mate the giant millipedes and some more animal pairs. After them Nelson and Josephine the mice, Ida and Stomp the sauropods, Cammie and her mate the giraffes, Torpedo and Pippa the penguins and all the other animals came walking out of the Ark in a line, also frolicking and dancing in happiness to be free again. Some of the flying animals were flying away from the Ark into the air. Then last of all came Noah and his wife, three sons and three daughters-in-law. They were happy also to see the sun for the first time in months as well as the dry earth.

"We had never been so happy in our lives," said Edward in narration, who was crying in happiness. "It was the moment we have all been waiting for in many months since our boarding onto the Ark; we were free. Free to roam around and play in the sun once again; free to search for a natural home; free to reproduce as much as we want..."

Then a while later, all the animals were continuously bounding, flying, running, frolicking and who knows what else some distance from the Ark. Edward and Emily were especially playing together and with Oddball and Archer and some other animals. As they were doing that, Edward stopped and looked at what Noah was doing. When Emily saw him stare ahead at something, she came up to him in wonder.

"What is it now, Edward?" she asked.

"What's that stony thing they have built and setting fire to?" he asked. Emily looked at what Noah and his family were up to. They have built some sort of monument and were burning an animal on it. As the elephants were looking at it in wonder, Cammie and her mate came up to them.

"It's called a sacrifice," explained Cammie. "They're sacrificing an animal on a stony thing called an altar and they're giving thanks to the One Who has created all things for His Own glory and man in His image for watching over them and us throughout our time on the Ark."

Emily and Edward were intrigued when they heard this. Then Oddball and Archer came in to see what Noah and his family were up to. As they were watching Noah and his family do the sacrifice, a colourful semi-circular arc appeared in the clear blue sky as some clouds moved away from each other in opposite directions.

"What's that thing?" asked Oddball. Edward looked hard at it.

"I don't know," he replied.

"Neither do I," added Cammie, "We've never seen anything like that before."

"But it sure is beautiful," said the male giraffe who was mesmerised by it. The two giraffes, two elephants and two four-winged birds all gazed at the coloured arc as it loomed spectacularly in the clear blue sky.

(This arc is called a rainbow and it was set there by God as a covenant to the animals and humans from Noah's generation onward that He will never judge the whole earth with a watery flood again).

"We all gazed in awe at this beautiful colourful arc in the sky," said Edward in narration, "And then all of a sudden, Emily suggested something to me..."

"Edward," said Emily romantically, "Can I have my first calf... pleeeaaaase?"

When Edward heard this, he was taken aback.

"What?" he said quite shocked, "Right now?"

Emily nuzzled her head against his romantically. Cammie smiled as she watched her do this.

"I think our time has come to fill the earth since we have come off that boat," she said with a giggle to her mate. "The Dove did tell us that we were going to reproduce after we depart from the Ark."

Oddball and Archer also tittered as Emily began to have love hearts fly from her. Suddenly Edward, Emily and the other four animals looked up and saw Sickle-Claw and his mate and Henry and Beatrice run around also loved up. Love hearts also flew everywhere as they ran around. Then Archer and Oddball looked at each other and had love hearts fly around them. Cammie and the male giraffe also looked at each other and walked away.

"Let's find ourselves a suitable home and have our first baby together, shall we," said the male giraffe.

"Sure, but I want dozens, loads in fact," replied Cammie happily. Edward and Emily looked on as the two giraffes left. Then Archer and Oddball flew around flirting and dancing. Archer was also apologetic for his attitude on the Ark.

"You know I have been a very impatient bird waiting for this moment, Oddball," said Archer apologetically, "And I am sorry, but I am glad to be released after so long on that boat thingy."

"So am I," said Oddball, "It's good to be released into the wild again."

"And I now realise that patience is important," said Archer. "Especially in times when you're sure to get something or achieve a goal but you have to wait for it or work for it."

Oddball nodded and smiled. Then Archer said, "Hey, Oddball, why don't we find ourselves a tree or thicket and have chicks together?"

"I would like that very much," said Oddball romantically. "I can see all the other animals are having that same desire to have babies too, including Edward and Emily over there."

Archer smiled and looked at the two elephants. Then the two four-winged birds left. Just then Pippa and Torpedo the penguins were talking also about starting a family themselves. Pippa especially wanted lots of chicks.

"Oh, Torpedo, I've always wanted chicks of my own," she moaned romantically.

"I guess so," replied Torpedo, "Since we have left that boat thingy, we can reproduce as much as we want."

"Come here, my sweet MATE..." cried a loved up Pippa. With that she pulled Torpedo into a passionate beak to beak kiss. A fountain of love hearts spewed from the pair as they did it. As Buzzy and his mate flew by, they moved away from the penguins to avoid being pelted by their love hearts.

"I hope they're not going to cause a flood with their chicks," muttered Buzzy as he held up a leaf to deflect incoming love hearts and as he moved away.

"Not to mention with their love hearts," agreed his mate as she also shielded herself from the love hearts with another leaf. Then Pippa and Torpedo left. Not too far away from them, Jaws has finally convinced his mate that he wants to start a family with her too. The two giant millipedes arched their upper bodies into a heart shape. Clawson and his mate were also dancing flirtatiously while Storm and her mate were nuzzling together while Riley and his mate were flying around in the air also loved up, glad to be released into the wild after so long on the Ark. Below them, Josephine and Nelson, Ida and Stomp, Sickle-Claw and his mate and Marvin and his mate were also nuzzling and/or running around with love hearts all around. Love was truly in the air for all the animal pairs as they left and dispersed to find homes and reproduce. Then Edward and Emily looked at each other romantically again before walking away together to find a place of their own and start their family as well.

"We somehow felt an irresistible urge to have our own babies," narrated Edward, "including myself and Emily. We wanted to move away from the boat, find our own habitat and start our own family together. As for Noah and his sons, they were commanded by their Creator to multiply and fill the earth as well. As we animals went our separate ways to look for suitable habitats to reproduce and have lots of babies, Noah and his sons began to business of reproducing and adding more members to their family..."

Then as the animals dispersed and moved away from the Ark, Noah and his sons began to have more kids and multiply as God had told them to do. However, they still continued their business of serving the LORD and always remembering Him as they did their daily routine.

THE END (OF THE STORY)

**Epilogue**

"And that," narrated Edward as he finished the story, "is the end of the story of the Great Global Flood and Noah's Ark. However life didn't end there; this story is only a chapter. We have just come to the end of it. The next chapter is yet to unfold and start from where this one left off. But to conclude, Noah lived to a great age and had loads and loads of children as did his three sons, and their descendants became nations; and who's to say that we animals also lived to a great age and had lots and lots of babies..."


End file.
